1000 Oaks Runner

I never want to be confused as a crossfitter

2012-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

So is Inov8 a crossfit shoe or mountain running shoe?

I am not a big fan of crossfitting. I think it is a little cheesy. I was wearing a pair of Inov8s at the gym while lifting weights (trying to work on the guns HA! yeah right) and a couple of people came up and asked if I was a crossfitter. I told them nope...and left it at that. I wanted to use the "I am not trying to be the best at exercising" line but that is also kinda what running is.

I guess I can't wear the blue shoes in public anymore. Better just stick with the Sambas.

Dont get over excited this might be brief

2011-12-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

I will probably re-delete this stupid blog in the next few days anyways. Ultra blogs are for people that like to self promote themselves and share with the world how epic their lives are. At least that is why I have one.

Speaking of stupid, here are some random thoughts that have been in my massive brain lately.

Have you ever noticed that.........

-slow ultrarunners are all for purity and do not want to muddy ultras by bringing money into the sport. I am positive their view would change 180 degrees if they were in the hunt for some lettuce.

-there are a few dudes out there that tend to get a bit too obsessed over certain races that really aren't that cool to begin with.

-the minimalist bandwagon is at an all time high. This concept is nothing new (read an amazing post I wrote below) and it is easy for most of these Born to Run nerds to be "minimalist" because they only run 5 miles a day. I have been accused of being a "minimalist" but it mostly because those shoes tend to be cheaper and I can not afford to pay 100 bucks for a pair of sneakers. I can get last years cc flats for under $30 at my local running store. I recently read on Irunfar about some Solomon "flats" for 200 bucks! Ha....that will be the day! You would have to be excessively rich or a complete sucker to pay that for a shoe. Just my opinion.

-our sport is growing but it is still a speck of sand compared to pretty much every other sport. I think because people are so engrossed into the "scene" that they forget that nobody outside of our little bubble gives a crap about ultrarunning. Just saying.

-racing teams are a pretty stupid concept in this sport. Zach and I made up Night Owl Racing to make fun of the corporate sponsored teams. This is a loner sport and you do not score team points at races. I have had and have a couple sponsors but am not part of any team. Hopefully I will "never" sell out. Never say never though....if Montrail calls I will give them a couple minutes of my time to hear their sales pitch. ha!

-speaking of racing teams....can La Sportiva or Pearl Izumi make uglier team kits? The dudes on the teams are legit but the uniforms are terrible. I guess they are better than what Solomon puts out though. Ridiculous.

-I always hear about people with careers and kids complaining about how they do not have the time to train as much as the other guys. Too bad. Suck it up. These are our life choices. We decided to get married, have careers, and have kids. Make the best of your situation and get up at 4am every morning like I do. I can still get in solid volume while not taking anytime away from my family and career. I would not trade my situation for anything. Being a family man is awesome. You made your decision so do not complain about it.

Alright I am out.

Running is Terrible

2011-09-28T12:27:00.001-07:00

Picture courtesy of Billy Yang

Let me just start this post by stating that I was extremely upset when the 2 mountain bikers passed me on a 2 mile climb yesterday. That has never happened before and I wanted badly to tell them my story about just having hip surgery (prideful huh?). As they passed they told me, "good job!" and I wanted to punch them. I was doing a lousy job. I use to be able to crank up mountains and now my only goal is to refrain from DNFing a 5 miler.

I have never had to take a break from running like this and I see why a lot of good runners decided to "retire" and start doing something else. Anything else.

Here is a funny text conversation I had with Zach who has also been dealing with severe hip issues all year...

ME- Now that I am jogging I thought that my drive to get back into shape would be huge but it just isn't there. I keep breaking off my runs/hikes early

ZG- That is because running is dumb and once you get a taste of how awesome it is to not waste time running, you really have no reason to be motivated to go run.

I do feel a bit stronger everyday and I do know that the surgery was worth it. Hopefully I will finally get some decent results next year to help me justify all of this time that is spent on preparing for races. I wish I was the type of person that could just run an 7 miler every morning to stay in shape and call it good. I envy those people.

My mind is compulsive and tends to make my life a lot more horrible than it needs to be.

So Long and See You on the Flipside

2011-07-19T15:31:00.001-07:00

It was weird waking up from surgery yesterday morning and realizing that I will not be able to run again until October. It was a horrible horrible feeling.

My FAI/Labral Tear surgery is this Friday. I will be on crutches for up to 5 weeks and it will be a bit of a process before I get back to running.   I moved up the surgery date because I need to hopefully be off crutches before our daughter is born.

I am pretty frustrated because I have been doing a ridiculous amount of climbing (around 6k of climbing a day) to get into shape for the Speedgoat 50k. I get up at 4am every morning to get a run in so that I do not take time away from my family. It was all for nothing. I was hoping to go under the knife right after the race.  This sucks.

I will not be able to run for at least 2 months and I am really scared about this. I always talk about how I hate running but the truth is that I am addicted to it.   Seriously, this is going to be very hard for me to deal with.

It will be nice to be able to walk without a limp for a change and be able to put in some quality runs. I have also wanted to participate in a basketball league for 2 years now and can't even really skateboard with my son because I am too scared to aggravate this stupid hip. There are so many cool things I have missed out on the last 2 years and I am glad I am finally getting it fixed.

Stupid flag football game. It seemed so innocent!!!

This is going to be NO FUN!!

A couple of Leona Divide 50 videos

2011-05-02T14:49:00.001-07:00

I am the dude in the red cotton Alaska t-shirt. At 12 seconds into the video I cut in front of the camera to ask Keira (the RD) where my bud Dean Dobberteen was because I was excited to see him. After she told me he was not able to make it I walked back to the start pretty bummed. About 5 minutes after this film was taken the stomach issues began. Thanks for sharing this with me Jessica!

Dominic Grossman ran a couple 100 yards with me at mile 38ish I did not know he was filming me but this is what he captured on his camera. I was complaining to him about my stomach and how I did not want to waste time for a another pit stop. If you look closely there is also a quick cameo of Scott Mills (the San Diego 100 RD) heading the other way. He was out on the course volunteering and is a super cool guy. I was a little puzzled at mile 8 when I came through alone at his aid station and as I left something was said and everyone started laughing. I pondered for about an hour what they were ragging on me about.

Also my official time was a 7:02 and it was good for 5th. I am very content with this time. I am running on a torn up hip and was dealing with stomach problems for the first 30 miles. I was able to close it out strong and was told I ran the last 12 miles in 1:30. That is pretty good considering there was a nasty climb for 3 or 4 of those miles.

10 Things about me when I race

2011-04-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

1. Going into a race I seldom look at the course map.  Last year before Pine to Palm 100 (2010) I literally never looked at the course map once. I just showed up, ran it, and became completely lost at mile 6. By the time I found the correct trail the sweepers had already come through and removed the ribbons. I was in dead last 2.5 hours into the race! I have been lost in many races because of my lack of planning but I still have zero desire to study a course beforehand. It makes it more fun...

2. I never have a real nutrition plan. When I am thirsty I drink and try to take in GUs when I remember. I ran a 50 miler in Chicago a few years ago and think I only took in 4 GUs the whole race. To this day that is still the most painful race I have ever run. This is probably the number 1 reason why I suck at long ultras (well that and lack of heart).

3. My number 1 worry going into every race is whether or not I will have a good BM before the start (any distance). That pretty much occupies for thoughts the entire morning before the race and at least 30 percent into it. My left pocket is always full of toilet paper. (I am left handed)

4. Lots of people like to have a crew and pacers. Lame. This lone wolf likes to go solo. I run all of my miles by myself so why should I have someone hold my hand during a race? I have seen people show up with crews for 50ks and think it is the cheesiest thing on earth.  I also always try to discourage my wife from coming to my races because I know she has better things to do than to wait around for me all day while I run a terrible race. I do love to pace for other people though.

5. Splits, pacing, goals to each aid stations......I never bother with that crap. I just run as fast as I can, then walk as fast as I can, and then either cross the finish line or sit down and DNF.

6. The last 40 miles of a 100 mile race the only thing I can think of is the intense desire to brush my teeth and take a shower.  That and how bad I want to sit down.

7. When I line up for a race....any race....I always look around and get a bit intimidated because every one looks faster and in better shape than I am.  The start line is a very deceiving place.

8. If you wear a GPS watch, heartrate monitor, or arm sleeves during a race I laugh at you in my mind....even if we are friends.

9. If I am having a terrible day I am not afraid to drop out of a race. I do not get paid for this crap.  If I paid for a ticket to go see a movie and the movie is horrible I am not afraid to walk out of the theatre. Same goes for racing.

10. I hate to run with other people while racing. After the first mile or so I will always drop back or speed up to be alone.

The Hard Truth (yet another rant)

2011-04-16T12:57:00.001-07:00

I just read a blog post from a friend and it was funny how intense people get about this endurance stuff. It is literally their life. Some people actually get upset at slower people that run marathons just to take it off of their bucket list. That somehow this degrades the sport and these slow people should not be able to tell people that they have run a marathon if it takes them over 6 hours to complete.

My unwanted thoughts on the subject- Who cares? One mans ceiling is another man floor. No matter how good you think you are....you will suck in someone else's eyes. I thought it was funny when a guy at the gym was bragging about running a 3 hour marathon. Is that even fast? I mean that is almost an hour off of the WR.

I also tend to laugh at the cockiness of some triathlon'ers when they brag about how good they are. I mean, you are good compared to what? All of the other rich white dudes out there with 10k worth of crap on their bikes?

In ultras the talent is also weak. There are some good guys up on top and then there are the rest of us. It is easy to be a decent size fish in the tiny ultrarunning pond. The trick is not to get caught up in the "scene" and start thinking you are better than you are. I know I suck. Do you?

Whether you are a 2:15 marathoner or a 7 hour marathon runner...what is the difference?.....they are all just levels of mediocrity. We are weekend warriors. Nothing more. Just have fun and do not take it too seriously.

Where are we heading with this?

2011-03-24T08:47:00.001-07:00

Rupp running a super fast half in New York.

I think it's a symptom of a bigger problem. Running is becoming triathlon. And the thing I hate about triathlon are all the goofy accessories that people think make them faster. In the past 5-10 years, we've seen frigging calf sleeves, compression everything, arm warmers, nose strips, creams, supplements, fueling cocktails, special shoes, mystical necklaces and wristbands, altitude tents, exotic strength training regimens, kinesio tape, etc, etc. Now we're adding facial masks. Yeah, I guess I would say I'm a little embarrassed of the direction our sport has taken.

(awesome thoughts from a guy on letsrun. I totally agree with him)

Lets keep it simple out there and try not to become like this dude.

Rant of the day

2011-03-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed that runners love to use serious quotes from very accomplished people to pump themselves up and justify the mass amounts of time they spend running? They try to make it seem like these quotes were meant for the sole purpose to show how cool and tough being a runner is.

I see quotes like this all of the time...

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Do you really think that old Winston really had running in mind when he sputtered these words?

Here is another one I have seen few times......

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives." -William Wallace

How is running really living? It is stupid. I actually did it this morning and hated it. Sure I will do it again in a few hours but that is because I need to get a life. Running 15 to 20 miles every day is NOT living. It is horrible and a waste of time. When Sir Wallace said these words in no way was he talking about the "living" and "struggles" that you went through at your last half marathon. He was talking about freedom and survival.

I think it is great if you are outside traipsing around in the hills for a bit each day but try not to use great quotes from history to try to justify the pain and agony that goes on during said activity. No one is forcing you to do it and it is of your own free will. Running is silly and serves zero purpose in modern society. I think that is why some of us are drawn to it.

Outside this blog or on the trails with friends, I try not to be one of those people that only talk about running. People that do not share my love/hate do not care about my little hobby. Trust me on this one. In fact I have a few friends that do not even know that I run. I often wonder if they think I am anorexic or just genetically predisposed to looking like a wuss?

HURT 100 DNF

2011-01-16T11:21:00.001-08:00

This is me at the 6am start of the HURT 100. Photo courtesy of Billy.

I dropped out after only running about 54 miles of the HURT 100 course last night. I am really bummed because I had put in a lot of time preparing for this race and really expected to do well out there yesterday. I love this course and pride myself on my climbing abilities.

The first loop went well but I think I underestimated the heat and was only carrying 1 handheld. At the finish of the first loop I was able to pee and it was already dark brown. This worried me so I tried to drink as much as possible but it was just so hot out there. I heard the humidity was at 90 percent. It was weird because I never felt thirsty. Anyways on the 2nd lap I became nauseous and started throwing up quite a bit. It was horrible. I kept at it hoping that I would eventually get back on top of my nutrition and salvage my race. My goal was to just hold out until it became dark and then rally. My legs were feeling great but my electrolytes were crazy out of wack. I had never experience anything like it and was actually really frustrated.

In the end I started getting a really bad feeling about my situation after I left the 52 mile aid station and turned around after climbing up to the ridge. I went back down to the aid station threw in the towel.

I was not running the time I wanted on account of throwing up at least 20 times but was still running in 3rd place overall when I dropped. I was given 2 IV bags to help hydrate me and was finally able to pee after 13 hours (yikes!).

I am upset about what happened out there yesterday but it was fun while it lasted. The people that put on the HURT are all super cool and it was fun to see so many friends out there.

The only thing that makes me super mad is that I am hardly even sore today from the 54 miles of the course I ran yesterday. I know if I could have kept down fluids my race would have went much better.

Do I lack heart? Did I go out too fast? Those are probably what some folks out there will assume but I was willing to give it my all out there yesterday. I had already finished the course in 2009 and wanted to really see what I could do out there. I just could not stop throwing up.

100 Milers Are Too Easy!

2011-01-05T20:29:00.001-08:00

100 Milers Are Too Easy! -text message Geoff Roes sent me right after he won the Bear 100 in 2009 (which was 2 weeks after he broke the CR at Wasatch 100).

Okay, next week I am returning to to Hawaii to run the HURT 100 again. I am the opposite of Geoff when it comes to 100s. I hate them because they take so long and just plain hurt. I have been running more miles than ever and I think I am in amazing shape but does that mean I will have a good race? Nope. (I have starred in this movie before)

Here is the link for the live runner tracking on race day if anyone wants to see how terrible of a day I am having out there. http://www.ultralive.net/hurt100/webcast.php

This is a picture of my sister Jacinda and I after the HURT 2 years ago. I had dragged her with me to Hawaii to be able to identify my body if I died. I had a fun vacation with her and it was good for us to both get away from the freezing temps in Alaska. Good times.

Here is the elevation profile for this little race. Not too bad?

All joking aside....I am excited to get out on this course again and see what I can do. I am also super excited to be going to Hawaii for a week to spend time with my amazing, beautiful, and pregnant wife.

Minimalist shoes used to be called racing flats

2010-12-30T16:28:00.001-08:00

"For 93 percent of all trips outside of the home, for whatever distance or for whatever purpose, Americans now get into a car. On average the total walking of an American these days--thats walking of all types: from car to office, from office to car, around the supermarkets and shopping malls--adds up to 1.4 miles a week, barely 350 yards a day. That is ridiculous." -Bill Bryan in the book A Walk to Remember

This is why Americans are getting slower and slower at running. We seem to have a misplaced fascination with all things running other than putting in the miles. One thing that I am sick of hearing from runners is the extreme fascination with "minimalist" shoes. At the local Roadrunners Sports store they now label their shoes as Minimalist or Minimalist Plus. It used to be Neutral Performance or Stability. Everyone is now on the bandwagon and it is starting to bug.

I was told by an overweight guy at the gym today that I would be a much better runner if I would ditch my Lunar Racers and start wearing Vibrams. He explained that his friend had turned him onto a new revolutionary barefoot running book that has totally changed his running. I told him people have been running in flats for decades and this whole minimalist trend it nothing new. He did not know what flats were but reiterated to me that I would be much faster and less prone to injury if I would buy some Vibrams. I asked him how many miles he ran a week and was told around 15 to 25. He also added that he was now training for his first half marathon (he said this with an air of authority about him like I should be completely impressed with his awesomeness). As I headed for the showers I could not help but laugh. It reminds me of the cyclists that spend thousands of dollars for a super light bike but are carrying an extra 15 pounds of lard on their own personal frame.

I am not elite and realize I have genetic limitations that will prevent me from ever becoming elite but my advice is to ditch the latest trends and just run more than you did last week. I do not care how "minimalistic" you are or how expensive your heart-rate monitor is. There is zero replacement for getting up in the mountains everyday and putting the time in. Do you think the Kenyans are worrying about this crap when they are running 180 mile weeks getting ready for their next race?

Guano on the Los Robles Trail

2010-12-10T14:30:00.001-08:00

I have been running the Los Robles trail quite a bit lately and it has really grown on me. I usually do some version of the trail everyday. I have a nice 10 mile out and back that I run most mornings. Yesterday I decided to do my normal night run in the morning and run the Los Robles trail at night. I am normally not real fond of running in the dark on the Los Robles trail because there is a 2 mile section of the trail that is teaming with bats. Bats are amazing creatures but they freak me out when they zoom past my head during runs. I think insects are drawn to my headlamp and the bats like to take advantage of the situation. I see plenty of bats on my normal Lang Ranch area night run but nothing compares to the numbers that are found on the Los Robles trail.

So last night when I hit the "bat alley" section they were flying all over the place. I was really cranking this run and was trying not to let it bother me until out of no where a bat smacked me in the back of my neck and was briefly stuck in my shirt collar (3 or 4 seconds). It was flapping like crazy and I almost went into a scary movie fit. Talk about an unsettling experience!! My word that freaked me out! Once it was free and flew away I checked to make sure I was not scratched or hurt by it. Luckily I wasn't. I then took off my shirt and threw it into my pocket just in case another one decided to get stuck down there. Yikes!!

Hone tip of the week- Dont crap your pants!

2010-11-02T14:06:00.001-07:00

If you have to use the restroom during a run just pull off the side of the trail/road. Serious what is wrong with this dude? I sure hope he placed in his age group!

The Hone tip of the Week

2010-10-14T13:29:00.001-07:00

When you have 6 miles left in your race and it literally feels like your legs are going to snap and fall off....... just know that they wont. So suck it up and finish the thing! MY WORD!!

I have no clue who this dude is. The picture is hilarious though.

Tip of the week- NEVER WALK IN TRAINING

2010-10-01T13:50:00.001-07:00

First off I will admit that I am not the worlds greatest mountain runner but I do have a bit of experience on the inclines.

So here is a good tip.......

Never, I repeat never walk any hills in training. If you want to get good at mountain running you have to run. When I say this I am not talking about a trail that gains over 3,500ft per mile (it is okay to powerhike those). I only see stuff like that in Alaska and here in Californian I have yet to see a trail that I can justify walking. I sometimes hear the argument that it would be much more efficient to walk the hills than run them. This statement is true but if you want to get good you need to run even when walking would be faster and expend less energy. When it comes time for a race it will pay off huge.

A few weeks ago I was running a steep section of the trail when I passed an older couple. The woman asked me how in the world I could run something so steep. I have never been asked this kind of question but I immediately uttered out the perfect response "Lots of practice!"

Picture of my friend Dave. It makes me long to get back home to Alaska. I most likely will not get back up there until next summer for a visit.

Also in regards to the whole walking in races idea to conserve energy.........I think there are many times in the ultra distances where walking a certain section is a lot better. Heaven knows I do a fair amount of walking in a 100 miler but have you ever noticed that the sooner you walk the easier it becomes to do it later? The hills get smaller and justifying walking on them gets a lot easier as the miles add up.