Don't Tread on Me!

Yesterday I was out for a medium distance run in El Moro state park.  As I was running along a single track section I turned a corner and whoa!  Boy was I close to treading on this girl!  At first I thought she was dead because she was completely still, but then I noticed her tongue slithering in and out of her mouth.   I quickly pulled out my camera and starting shooting in high speed burst mode to capture any movement.  I don't think she wanted to be on camera because as soon as started filming she began rattling rather loudly and quickly made her way to the bushes.

Here is what I saw.

Chasing Clouds

Early Thundercloud 

Here are a few images of some of the clouds I've been chasing lately for an upcoming video I'm working on.  I've watched a few amazing thunderstorms in the last few days.  There is nothing like seeing lightening strike in front of you while sitting on a mountain to get the old heart rate going....hell, it beats doing hill repeats!

The video is evolving, but it will incorporate some cool time lapse techniques and a taste of nature, which I consider to be one of my greatest sources of motivation to run.  While I hope you enjoy it, I really hope you are motivated by it!  Be sure to give me your feedback!

The Real Deal

The Science of Running and Memory

“There are three side effects of acid: enhanced long-term memory, decreased short-term memory, and I forget the third.” 
Timothy Leary 

This just in….you don’t have to drop acid for enhanced long-term memory.  Sorry Mr. Leary.  Acid is out.   New method is in.  What is it?  Just step outside your front door.  Seriously.  But make sure you’ve got running shoes on. 

It’s been nearly two years since I ran the Grand Canyon.  Yet my mind continues to drift back to that day, enamored by its majestic vistas, sandy beaches along the Colorado, narrow trails etched in the sheer cliffs.  It was great day for all that dared to go the distance.  I hope to hold on to that memory for a long time.

Of course there are memories I’d just rather forget.  Like the time I performed a perfect swan dive on the steep downhill along Santiago trail.  I remember yelling like a child before I hit the ground.  Boy did my palms get torn up.  It wasn’t the best career move either.  A little awkward at the office shaking hands with scabs the size of meatballs on my palms.

Of course the aging process shows no mercy, and it’s just a matter of time before our memories fade. But if you’re a runner you’ll be happy to hear that you now have science your side. It was once believed by neurobiologists that the human brain, upon reaching adulthood, was incapable of generating new cells.  At this point it was thought brain cells could only die off, never to be replaced. That was until scientific studies in recent decades proved otherwise. 

The human brain is three times the size of other mammals of equivalent body size and has somewhere between 50 – 100 billion neurons.  Deep in our brains is a section called the hippocampus which, among other things, is responsible for long- term memory and spatial navigation (finding your way around a city or, in the case of a rat, through a labyrinth). What’s unique about the hippocampus is that it is one of the areas of the brain that science has discovered is capable of generating new cells.

Scientists have also learned recently that running plays a large role in the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, and in improving memory.  A study published this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science showed that running increased brain cell formation in the hippocampus section of the brain in mice.  Its method was quite simple but very revealing.  One group of mice was given unlimited access to a running wheel. This group of mice voluntarily clocked an average of 15 miles a day! The other group didn’t have access to an exercise contraption, and was sedentary during the study. 

The results were clear. The study identified that running contributed to the generation of hundreds of thousands of new cells in the brains of the running mice. More importantly, along with the new grey matter came an enhanced mental capacity.     The running mice scored nearly twice as high as their sedentary counterparts in a memory test.  The greatest improvement came later in the experiment when the test became progressively more difficult for the mice.

While the results of the Cambridge study are clear—that running stimulates the growth of new brain cells—science is yet to figure out how or why this happens.  Some postulate that it’s the result of increased blood flow to the brain.  Others believe its because running limits the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which happens to be linked to the shrinking of the hippocampus.  

So when someone at your next dinner party asks you why you run, it might be appropriate to ask them first if they can remember your name.  If they can’t, then tell them they now have their answer.  

Log Chute, Snow Summit

Once in a while I carry my camera (Panasonic DMC_LX3) with me on runs.  I do this to force myself to look at what's around me. I'm always glad when I do.  Today I was climbing up the face of the ski run Log Chute at Snow Summit located in Big Bear Lake, California.  Have you ever been to a ski resort in the summer?  Its not a bad time of year to visit one.  No people, no traffic, no stress.  Just blue sky, warm air and awesome scenery.

These are just a few shots of what I saw around me.

Investigation of Cycling Hero Intensifies

Call it destiny, bad luck, fate, innuendo, jealousy, or simple justice, Lance Armstrong's empire is at risk of falling faster than Barry Bonds' bid for the Hall of Fame.  Empire?  Yes, seven straight victories at the Tour de France, an empire built on a certain rise from the ashes, a defiance of the grim reaper, a cult of confidence.  Is this possible?  Everyone seemed to be looking around, wondering.  He's never tested positive....he's the hardest working athlete...he's got the best team....he's...he's...he's BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PEOPLE!

I'm not going to to go any further with this, but check this out if you want more...

Careful Where You Squat!

Today I had a near disaster experience.  I was so close to disaster that my heart rate is still jacked up about it.  I can only thank the running gods, maybe mother nature herself, for sparing me. 

It all happened on a trail during a 15 mile run.  I was moving well up the single track trail in Coyote Canyon, a few steps ahead of my brother who was on his mountain bike.  Just as I stopped to take in the view across Newport Coast Road, I received a call from my GI track.  This was not a routine call.  This was an emergency call.  I quickly grabbed some Charmin from my brothers Camelback and charged for the nearest bush.

As I was crouched down tending to my business, my brother made a wise crack about a rattlesnake biting me in the ass.  “Ha ha bro, I know what I’m doing out here, don’t try to scare me with your jokes”, I thought to myself.  But his words must have hit home, because just as quickly as the thought of a rattlesnake was moving through my sub conscience, my eyes were surveying the ground around me.  All was well until turned to my right…

Holy crap, there’s a bee hive two feet from my bare ass!  “Get the hell out of here!”, I remember yelling to my brother. I felt like a ballerina who had just soiled her tutu as I tip toed away while pulling up my shorts.   Thank god I had finished with the Charmin. 

Today I came very close to disaster.  If I had been a mere two feet to my right when I squatted, well, I don’t think I’d be here—sitting—to tell you the story.  

Thanks Beano

Cracks in the Cycling Empire?

I just finished reading the article Blood Brothers, published in this weekend’s edition of the Wall Street Journal.  The story is essentially Floyd Landis’ account of the systematic doping that goes on in the world of professional cycling, including Lance Armstrong.  The Tour de France begins its first stage today.

Though as I sit here today I’m disappointed in the sport of cycling, particularly the Tour de France, a race I have followed for over 25 years as a genuine fan.  I yearn for the days when American’s were considered nothing more than want-to-be’s by Europeans in the sport of cycling.    At least until Greg LeMond and Andy Hampsten showed up and spoiled their party.  Greg and Andy paved the way for today’s American’s cyclists.  They toiled in the Alps and Pyrenees when most American’s didn’t even know the meaning of peloton.  Or EPO.  Or testosterone patches.

What has cycling become?  From my vantage point it's is nothing more than a shell of its former self, held together as a sport by extremely well-off sponsors and media hype.  When money enters the game, the rules change.  People do things that they wont do for the simple joy of it.  I’m all for making a living in sport.  But it’s gone way beyond that.  Sponsors want market exposure, product branding, and sales.  Isn’t that what capitalism is all about?  Are the riders being exploited? What about the fans?  If drugs are really happening, and I think they are, the answer to those two questions is affirmative.

This wasn’t intended to be a rant, but I’m just so disappointed in the sport right now.  I so much wanted Floyd Landis to assume the title that Greg and Lance held before him, but it wasn’t to be.  When he rode uncontested for most of a stage in one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of sports, only to be dethroned by a drug test, was for me, simply, depressing. Now that he has come clean and said what he has said he can at last breathe deep, look his mom in the eye, and not blink.  There is something to be said for being able to do just that.  I think our grandparents would place that above standing on the podium in terms of a life value.  I’m not sure our generation would.

  

Western States 2010 – Lessons Learned

I came to this year’s Western States with three goals in mind. First, simply get to the finish line regardless of time.  Not too exciting for some but the way I see it anything can happen during 100 miles and nothing can be taken for granted out there.  I also knew my two daughters would be waiting for me at the finish and seeing them was number one for me.  Second, beat last year’s time.  Again, not a huge thing but it was something I was thinking going in.  Third, run under 22 hours. 

My third goal was my stretch goal and I chose it a couple of weeks ago after starting my taper.  I felt my conditioning was very good, my training had gone well and I had no injuries.  This would have been 90 minutes faster than my time last year.  I knew all the key aid station splits I needed to hit to achieve this time, and I hit every one—Duncan Canyon (23.8 miles in 4 hours), Robinson Flat (29.7 miles in 5:20), Michigan Bluff (55.7 miles in 11:23) and Forest Hill (62 miles in 12:56).  There was only one problem.  By the time I hit Michigan Bluff, my legs (quads again, surprise!) were toast and I was reduced yet again to a gimp-like shuffle for much of the last 25 miles.    

As the race continued through the night, and my goal of running under 22 hours was slipping away, the situation started to take toll on my mind.  How can my goal slip so quickly from my grasp?  Why did my quads fail me yet again?  What didn’t I do right in my training?  It was then I realized I was running over my head.  Maybe I should’ve set the bar lower.  Despite my perils, my crew and pacer were outstanding.  Rob (pacer), Jeff, Dawn, my wife Jen and two daughters were all there to get me through some rough spots with words of encouragement, nutrition and supplies. 

Another one of my goals this year was to get to the River Crossing (mile 78) during day light.  When my pacer Rob and I left the Cal 3 aid station around 8:30 pm, I remember asking one of the aid station crew how far it was to the River.  When someone said four miles I thought we had a fighting chance to make it by twilight.  But when we were still running after 5 miles (not 4 miles!) and darkness had set in I started to lose it.  I let a few f-bombs fly. 

The night wore on and eventually Rob and I forgot how to read a watch.  The race started at 5 am but for some reason we both assumed I had to finish by 4 am to go under 24 hours, let alone beat my time of 23:28 last year.  Not only was my stretch goal out of reach but my second goal (mistakenly) was now in question.  Another mental torpedo.  It’s weird what a full moon and no sleep can do to your mind.  Not realizing we were adding an hour to my actual time, we rolled into Highway 49 (mile 93) around 2:15 am. 

Since I thought I only had 1 hour and 45 minutes left, I pulled up a chair, sat down and said to Rob, Jeff and Dawn I didn’t give a damn what time I came in anymore.  I’d decided I’d had it, and that I wasn’t going make it under 24 hours. I invited everyone to sit and bullshit with me for a while...kind of a mini pity party.  It was then Jeff looked at me with a puzzled face and said I actually still had 2 hours and 45 minutes to finish under 24. Rob and I and looked at each other realizing what we had done wrong and just got up and kept moving.  From then on my focus went from just getting to the finish line to beating my time from last year. 

But enough of that already.  I finished under last years time, and I’m proud of that.  But what I’m most proud of is what happened at the finish line.  As I entered the stadium and rounded the last turn on the track at Placer high school, there stood my two daughters, ages six and eleven, waiting to take my hand and run with me through the finish line.  This was the moment I was waiting for.  The moment I kept visualizing in my mind through the race.  The moment that kept me pushing forward, despite the ups and downs.  As I approached my girls I could see them, smiling, knowing they were about to be part of something pretty cool.  When I reached them I asked them to take my hand, and just like that the three of us ran those final, precious, steps together through the finish line.

Western States Live Internet Broadcast

For those of you interested in following the race via the internet go to this link. Every runner's progress will be posted throughout the race.  My number is 140.

Bands Making my Ipod Playlist for WS 100

Moby, The Chrystal Method, Banco de Gaia, Boards of Canada, Incubus, Blink 182, The Offspring, 30 Seconds to Mars, Foo Fighters, Third Eye Blind, Paramore, Radiohead, Paul Van Dyke, Linkin Park, The Killers, Rise Against, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Petty, others.    

Should be enough to get me some ups, and hopefully through the downs.   

Six days....Rock it!

To Lift, Or Not to Lift?

Last year’s Western States reduced my quads to petrified stumps from a forest of doom. Have you ever run on stumps? I don’t recommend it. They’re not responsive and they don’t fit well to your hips.


For this years Western States I”ve decided to employ a stump grinding strategy: weight lifting. Fact is I used to lift weights regularly when I was running marathons. It helped me avoid injury from all the pounding on the hard surfaces. But when I started running mostly trails I stopped lifting consistently for some reason. I didn’t think it was that important. I think I was wrong.

This year I’ve started again, focusing only on my quads for downhill running, and my arms for carrying water bottles over the long distances. My regimen is pretty simple and, since I’m defiantly not looking to “bulk up”, stresses high reps with low weights. Here is what I do:

Two sessions per week that last no more than 20 minutes.

Quads
Single Leg Squats – Four sets (two sets each leg, alternating) with 20 reps each (stepping backward) standing up using a 50 to 60 pound barbell over my shoulders. I prefer the backward step vs forward lunge because it gives more isolation on the quad.

Traditional Squats – Two sets with 20 reps standing up using 80 lbs barbell over my shoulders. Sometimes if I’m in a hurry (like most of the time) I’ll just use the same weight as the single leg squats and go right into these sets with no break. If I use the lighter weight I’ll throw another 10 reps in the set. These also help with the back and glute muscles.

Arms
Single Arm Curls -- Two sets x 100 reps (50 each arm, alternating every curl) standing up using 15 lbs dumbbells. I do these with a good rhythm to simulate the running movement.

Single Arm Tri Extensions -- Four sets x 25 reps of single arm tri extension (over head) standing up using same 15 lbs dumbbell as curls. I like to incorporate these sets in with my curl sets. So, I start with the curl set, do 100 curls (50 each arm alternating), then go right into the tri extension with my right arm and do 25 reps, then move to my left arm and do 25 reps. Keeping the weights in my hands the through all the sets adds another element of fatigue which I believe builds endurance.

In the past I've used heavier weights with fewer reps. However, by doing this I tend to gain size in my arms which is NOT what I want (no Mr. Universe ambitions here!). Ultimately, as a runner, I'm seeking the strength from my weight lifting to go the distance, avoid injury and combat fatigue. I believe I get all of this from lifting weights.

However, with a family and a full time job that does NOT include running, my goal is to be as efficient as possible. To save time I often run from the gym after work and head straight in to lift when I’m done running. Or, if I’m running from home on the weekends where there is a gym 1.3 miles away, I’ll plan to run by the gym toward the end of the run and stop in to lift before I’m done. I prefer lifting after a run because my muscles are warmed up and I feel better doing it.

If you are starting to lift for the first time, go easy with lighter weigths and lower reps until you've been at it several months. Also, there is no "right" weight, or right workout. There can be variation on your workouts, and it is good to mix things up. I recommend working with lighter weights first and focus on increasing the number of reps before you add more weight, particularly if you are in an endurance sport.

So, to lift, or not to lift? If that is the question, I prefer to lift. 

Western States—20 Days and Counting

The last few months of training now wind down to a long awaited taper.  With just under three weeks remaining before the race I will be “tapering” my miles down by 20%, 40% and 60%, respectively.  Unlike the past couple of years, though, I plan to continue doing a couple of more difficult workouts per week, namely tempo and hill work. 

Today was a great effort and good indicator of my overall fitness.  I dragged Joe R out to the Cleveland National Forest and we ran to the top of Santiago Peak via the Holy Jim Trail.  This run had it all—a 4,000 foot climb in the first 8 miles, altitude, heat and flies!  I’ve never been buzzed so badly by bugs in my life!  We had to run the last couple miles to the peak waving twigs in front our face just to keep them from getting in our eyes. I actually choked at one point when one got down my throat.

Looking back I think my training has been on target.  My weekly miles have been averaging around 85, with two 90 mile and one 100 mile week, with about 10% of that on the elliptical machine.  What I’m most happy about is that I’ve been injury free.  Recovery has been a big focus for me.  I’ve constantly monitored my body.   If I feel too tired, I take a day off, or run easy that day and ultimately I don’t hesitate to put off the next hard work out.  In this same light, I’ve been consistently stretching and lifting weights. 

In the end, it’s all about the journey.  And so far I’m enjoying the ride!
  

Snow Year at Western States?

After enduring a rather wet winter here in California, I’ve been anxiously watching the snow levels in Squaw Valley. With only 24 days before the start of Western States, its looking more likely, if not certain, that we will be running a significant portion of the first 30 miles of the course in snow. Gulp!


How many miles will we be on snow? Not sure, but race officials sent the following email to race participants…."How many miles of snow should we expect on race weekend? We should have a better idea what the race weekend snow conditions will be by June 19th. We'll share that information with you when we have it. Ultimately, we take whatever the mountain gives us.”

Note: italics provided by this blogger for emphasis. We take whatever the mountain gives us. Doesn’t that sound cool!? Wow, now I feel like the Marlboro man getting ready for an assault on some remote peak in the Punjab province! What I really am is a skinny old man trying to get from a posh ski resort to a quaint town named Auburn.

With 78 inches of snow remaining at the top of Squaw as recently as two days ago, my guess for race day is, well, snow. What does that mean? I’m not quite sure. I haven’t done any meaningful runs on snow, so I’m about to find out. I guess I’ll take whatever the mountain gives me!

Get'n It Done At Six Years Old

Charlotte and her dad crossing the finish 

At the start of yesterdays 5k run/walk, throngs of kids, parents, dogs, strollers and razors converged on a four foot wide sidewalk.  Yet, before most even crossed the starting line, a little girl with blond hair wearing a white tee shirt was out in front pushing the pace.  "Wait up", I heard Abby saying to her cousin Charlotte.  Abby and I ran for a while until we caught up with her cousin.  Then, like children, we started skipping! And a tune entered my mind.  And we were singing...Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Lou, Lou, Skip to my Lou, Skip to my Lou my Darlin!

Things started heating up a bit along the course, so we stopped at an aid station for some cold water and I poured a little over Charlotte's head to keep her cool.   The volunteers were great and had stations set up at three different spots along a pretty course in El Dorado Park.  

We moved along well through the back stretch.  Then, around the half way point, I looked over my shoulder and saw a little guy approaching quickly.  Sure enough this little guy no more than 3 and half feet tall danced by us with his grandfather to take the lead.  But Charlotte remained undaunted.  She continued to run through the hottest section. I grabbed a few cuties at the next aid station and handed her some bite size pieces.  

Then, just as things started to get really tough, Charlotte's uncle Al joined us for the final mile and half. Jokes and behavior only a six year old could appreciate ensued.  Our pace quickened.  Al and his wife April helped organize the event to raise money for a cure for Tuberous Sclerosis, which afflicts their daughters Abby and Amelia.  What's amazing is they made over $100,000 for the event!  Congrats Al and Apes.    

As we rounded the corner to the finish line, Charlotte kicked it into another gear and made a bee line to the finish.  What a race!  Six years old and get'n it done in 44 minutes.  Rock it Char!  Thanks to all the volunteers, especially Al and Apes, for putting on a fun and successful event!