ak worm

Resurrection Pass 50

2011-10-24T13:15:00.009-08:00

The main take-away from running my first ultra is this: PERSPECTIVE - the application of which is spread across racing, training, effort, mental toughness, injury and life in general.

First for racing - it is just an excuse for me to get out and run trails with a like minded group of people. I am by no means fast. When speaking with people about trail running and racing they like to think in terms of times, places, or records. For me it is about the experience, so the act of racing is to get out there and do it, not compete. I have no illusions of reaching the podium or capturing age group titles, however I do sometimes judge my effort by comparing my times to the oldest person(s) faster than me. Running almost 50 miles gives me an appreciation for the preparation of those who do compete at ultra distances.

Training - because of the previous discussed concept of racing, the role of training for me has been redefined. I will train because I want to enjoy the experience more. In the case of this race, it was only my 10th time running for the year. The fact that I was able to run for 11 hours and complete 42 miles is amazing to me. The fact that I didn't finish though has convinced me that training has it's place. I can race without it, but is the experience more complete when it is a capstone to dedicated preparation. My body is capable of extreme efforts of endurance, and training may prepare me for the journey.

Effort - it is difficult to run long and far, no way around it. Both physically and mentally.

Mental toughness - running an ultra distance is more an exercise of the mind than the physical. One may be the most well conditioned athlete, but without mental toughness, they cannot endure. The physical will only take someone so far. Maybe it's the farthest previous distance ran, maybe it's a perception of what one's body can do or is capable of. Mental toughness is what keeps you going after everything else fails. Going into this race I knew that I was not physically prepared, not even close. So I set my mind to be ready for the most difficult endeavor I've ever experienced. I even joked with those I spoke to before the race that I was excited to enter the "pain cave" and see what I found there. From reading numerous race reports elite runners, I knew this was going to suck, and I was ready...actually looking forward to it - the pain, hallucinations, fatigue - all of it. The race definitely didn't disappoint. It was interesting to be prepared mentally because when the emotions, hallucinations, and dispair were experienced I was able to see it from a third person perspective. I could reason that the emotions, etc. were irrational, but couldn't help from having them. It was like I was watching it happen and experiencing it at the same time. Definitely cool.
Injury - nothing serious happened other than the feeling that my entire left foot had fused into one giant toe, and that giant to hurt like hell. Only after stopping did I pull off my shoes and socks and discover that I would lose all the toenails on that foot, with the second and fifth toes actually losing the entire nail bed as well. I would also lose my right big toenail. Other than this superficial toe pain, I experienced no other lasting ailments. I cycled through hip pain (IT band) and intermittent ankle discomfort but nothing afterwards. In fact, my recovery was pretty breif - some latent soreness in the quads, right ankle pain and knee stiffness, and overall hunger and lethargy - but I ran an easy 2 miles three days later. I feel that with my lack of training it should have hurt much worse. Chalk it up to the wonder of the human body God gave us.

Life - Nothing I have done in my life has been this physically or mentally difficult...well, raising a 4 year old boy is mentally challenging but on an entirely different level. I dropped at 42 miles, however I am still unsure whether this was a mental or physical decision. I like to think that mentally I was ready to continue up the last 4 mile hill and back down to the finish, but that my body was feeling too crappy, especially my foot. More likely though this physical component paired with the thought of running for 2 more hours was too much to bear. The perspective gained has enabled me to see what I'm capable of, and what I can endure when I level mental preparation towards a task; it shows that I can run ultras with minimal preparation, but that I'll have more fun if I train; and injuries can be overcome, even nagging ones that need surgery.

Ok everyone, happy ultra running. I know you can do it.

I'm the surly looking one on the right. This is on the 12 mile road section after 38 miles on trail.

Res Pass 50 mini recap

2011-08-02T09:41:00.003-08:00

This is a mini recap, with a full race recap to follow. Mini as I don't really feel my thoughts are consolidated right now.

I DNF'd my first ultra the Res Pass 50. I completed 42 miles and called it good. A valiant off the coach effort, meaning that I have only ran 9 times since the first of the year due mainly to rehab-ing a knee injury and my adverseness to training. My mind was ok and I was willing to continue, but my body didn't want to and I didn't want to make it.

More to come over the weekend...

running outside again

2011-04-11T09:51:00.004-08:00

yay, running outside again! only 2mi. at a time but better than nothing, and great to get off the treadmill. I'm testing out the knee for outside movement along with taping techniques learned in PT. all miles on pavement so far in the Hoka OneOne Mafates.

I'm going to try to get up to 4 mi. then get on trails this week. Boo yah.

2011 already?

2011-04-07T07:58:00.003-08:00

wow, first post in the new year/last quarter of last year....lots going on.

firstly, and most important, I'm going to be a new father any day now. we're expecting our second son and I'm stoked. preparations for the new arrival have kept me busier than normal, but so too has our 3 year old and all that goes along with having an expanding family. there's no better job than that of a Dad if you ask me, which you didn't but it's my blog so I can write whatever I want.

anyways, family commitments, high school soccer, AND recurring knee problems - ok, mostly recurring knee problems - have kept me from running very much since the first of the year...it was december, everything fitness-wise was going fine and then BAM!!! I'm leveled at a soccer game. injury to my lower back keeps me out for 6 weeks then after being cleared to run I tick off an easy 2 miles on Jan 1 and my right knee swells up. D'oh!

long story short I more than likely have more torn cartilage in my knee, but am trying everything to avoid surgery, in fact my new knee Doc, Vermillion, seems to think that surgery could clean it up but in the long run it will probably continue to 'flake off' meaning continuing to tear/I'm osteoarthritic at 36 years old. his Rx was glucosamine, PT, Synvisc injections, and orthotics, which sounded a lot better to me than a 5th knee surgery. I've been going that route for almost 2 months now and things are starting to sort out or at least the knee is feeling stronger/more stable.

at times I'm discouraged that it doesn't feel 'normal' anymore, but like my wife said last night, "you have torn cartilage in your knee. it's not going to feel normal." it is progressing though, I'm running on the treadmill, and I'll be back outside on the trails soon (or as soon as it stops snowing and blowing).

bum bah bah bum...ULTRAWORM!

2010-09-13T11:58:00.004-08:00

so the inaugural Ultraworm 50k is going down in 2 weeks, September 26. it will begin and end at my house. we're shooting for an 8am start time. should be amazing. see you there! (but actually probably not...)

see http://akworm.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html for map and more info.

contact me here or at jeremyhinshaw@gmail.com with any questions about participating.

trail racing kickoff

2010-05-26T09:37:00.003-08:00

last night was the Turnagain Arm Trail race. a 4 or 8 mile race that alternates departure from either Rainbow TH or Potter TH every other year. this year's race started at Rainbow, beginning with a steep 1.2 mile climb.

having trained on this course back in March/April i was eager to run it 'all out'. hoping for under 1:30 i really dug into the first, more technical half of the course. i passed a few runners on the uphill section and several on the first long downhill, then settled in. i was keeping a good pace (for me) and wasn't passed in the first 4 miles. hitting the halfway point at McHugh creek in :45 was right around what i hoped for as the difficult part was behind me.

the transition at McHugh (where the 4 mile race starts) is always difficult for me as it emerges into the middle parking lot before looping up into the upper lot to reenter the trail. this 1/4 mile of pavement always takes it out of me. i was passed by 4 runners before i even got back to the trail. feeling slow, i began the last 4 miles. it is usually quite muddy in this section but as we have had a pretty warm spring so far, the trail was in great shape. i was passed by several more runners and was mentally not feeling strong.

pre-race i had decided to try to not eat anything during the race, which is not my usual strategy for races over an hour. at about 1:02 and feeling poor i ate the powergel i had brought with me. eating that, coupled with drinking from a trailside creek really boosted my energy and i kicked it into high gear realizing that i had only around 2 miles to go. no more runners passed as i kicked along. i even passed one back up.

i held steady going into the last 1.2 knowing now that i could get a negative split and finish under 1:30. i coasted in at 1:25.36. it had been a gorgeous evening, and an encouraging kick-off to the summer racing season.

Spring in AK

2010-05-18T13:51:00.002-08:00

it comes quick. on a tuesday you go for a run on a muddy, mostly snow covered trail. you run the same trails on a sunday and it is firm and ready to rock. after only a few sunny days the snow melts off and the fun begins in earnest. the days stretch longer and longer and before you know it you're going out for a long run at 9pm, watching the sun set at 10:30 atop a mountain peak. spring brings the promise of summer.

i've been more intentional with my training this year going into the summer mountain running season than ever before. i'm excited b/c i feel fit regardless of the distance or intensity of the workout, and typically finish ready for more with minimal pain or soreness the next day.

good times....bring it on!

Vasque Transisitors

2010-04-24T20:29:00.009-08:00

about the middle of March i was fortunate enough to win the chance to test a pair of the new Vasque Transistors from the irunfar website. i can sum up the Transistors in three words "kick ass fast kicks." ok, that's actually four words but that's what the shoes do for you: fill your run with more adjectives than you can handle. the following are the questions i answered for a future review on the irunfar site:

What were your impressions of the shoe out of the box?

good looking and light. the Transistor is well constructed, comes in racy yellow or grey and red (tested), and has a not-to-aggressive not-to-mild outsole. the size 12 i received is a half size smaller than i normally wear, but the Transistors aren't made in half sizes over 12. the fit was good with seemingly enough room in the toe box even without the extra half size. on especially steep trails though i could feel my toes hitting the end of the right shoe.

What you like or dislike about the shoe in use?

OUTSOLE-like it: on my first run, which was actually a hike with my 34lb. 2 year old on my back, i was amazed by the traction the Transistors provided. the trail was 90% covered with spring snow: wet, slick, and hard packed on the trail. at first inspection i thought the tread wasn't burly enough for AK trails but it held to the snow like skins on a ski. i was quite surprised at the lack of slippage as i ascended the steep trail. on future runs it held it's own on frozen crust snow, slush, mud, rocks, roots, and roads. the only conditions i was unable to try it out in was dry trail conditions b/c they don't exist right now in AK. a minor complaint is that the clear plastic 'bubble' (rocknrolla plate?) near the heel filled with water during one run and emitted a squishing sound.

MIDSOLE-love it: what sets this shoe apart from any other shoe i've worn is how it feels when you first step into it. i've tried to describe it to people like this: in every other shoe you are ON the shoe, but with the Transistor you are IN the shoe. i typically throw out the insoles that come with running shoes, but the feel of these shoes is so much different because it was designed to be worn this way. one sits much lower to the ground enabling a 'feel' for what's underfoot. in my experience the midsole didn't offer enough rock protection for overly technical trails. after an 8 mile run on an especially rocky, rooty, and snowy trail my feet were left feeling a bit beat up. i think the stability offered by being able to feel the trail may outweigh the lack of protection over the long haul. if one eased into this type of trail after wearing the shoe for a bit it would probably be ok.

UPPER- like it: quite simply it does it's job. the laces stay tied, the materials seems durable, and the fabric breathes well. the only issue i found was on my first long-ish run during the test a seam in the upper caused a weird blister on my left arch. it only happened that once though and not since so it is a minor issue.

What "features" did you like most or least?

i loved the form fitting, built in insole. it worked very well to enhance feel of the trail and seems to be holding up very well. i didn't like whatever was allowing water into the outsole as the squish squish heard while running is annoying. the rock protections seems too light weight for ultra distances on technical trails. i came into this test as a minimalist footwear type runner and found my pre-season condition to be not strong enough to handle the minimal midsole on my gnarliest trail run. on the other hand the shoe felt light and part of the foot. the low stack height was ideal for the midfoot strike encouraged by a minimal shoe.

Under what conditions did the Transistor perform especially well, ok, or poorly?

performed well on everything tested on: snow, rocks, roots, mud, slush, road. ok on long, technical trails. have yet to find a poor performance.

Any other thoughts!

i have flat feet, a wide toe area, and narrow heels. my right foot is almost a half size longer than the left. the fit accommodated my foot well, but if the upper stretches (which it shouldn't as it is synthetic) i will reach the limit of being able to tighten it up enough around my midfoot. the shoes are good looking, light, and comfy right out of the box. i think the shoes would be best suited to those looking for a minimalist trail racer. it seems great for smoother singletrack and less technical trails for long distances, but at the same time gives one an enhanced feel for running technically over shorter distances. the outsole grips well in most conditions, but i would predict a problem on slick or sticky mud trails.

thanks to Bryon Powell over at irunfar and Vasque for the opportunity.

(re)discovering the joy of biking

2010-04-23T10:15:00.003-08:00

in attempts to be fit for racing this summer - meaning not only just being able to complete the race but to not feel so beat up during/after the race - i'm attempting to put some actual structure into my *cough*training. anyhoo, it's going well for week one: taking my vitamins, eating decently, and exercising daily.

yesterday was cross training so i went for a bike ride. now typically i would bust out the minutes on a trail ride as that is what i enjoy, but seeing as how trails are pretty unrideable right now (unless you enjoy deep slush) i hit the road on my cross bike.

usually i don't ride on the road, unless riding the mt bike to or from a trailhead or going to the coffee shop so i didn't really know what to expect. in a word, it was exhilirating. i climbed up Abbott Rd looping past Hilltop Ski Area up and over to O'Malley. it was a tough climb, especially without a small cog, but once i hit the high point it was a rush. i easily topped 40mph on the downhill. cars that passed me were barely going faster than i was. i felt great finishing with the little hills on Birch Rd then connecting back to Elmore to cruise home. in all it was 45 min. or so and 10.65 miles.

as i was riding home i wondered why i haven't done this before? i love trail running, but the speed, rhythm, and mileage of road biking definitely planted itself in my psyche. i'm sure it will be my cross training of choice in future weeks.

free gear giveaway!!!

2010-04-21T08:55:00.002-08:00

hey everyone (imaginary readership)! check out Reuseapalooza over at irunfar.com

lot's of cool stuff being given away and a great resource for ultrarunning.

Rainbow TH

2010-04-07T13:43:00.004-08:00

after the last hike i had placed the backpack carrier in the kitchen. both saturday and sunday morning the little man asked me, "dad, can we go on a hike this morning?" as we had several obligations we weren't able to, but yesterday afternoon i took him hiking up the Johnson Trail from the Rainbow TH. the clouds were opening and closing so the weather floundered from somewhat decent/sunny to windy/chilly. it was fun as it's not to steep and there was lots to see.

of course on the drive out the little man pointed out the "big snow mountains" followed by "let's go up there!" as Tiffany commented the first time he said this, "definitely your son." we climbed up the gentle trail looking at the mossy, rock filled stream. of course though the little man wondered aloud, "where is the Rainbow?" i asked what colors he could see around him. we came up with white, brown, green, blue, and the imaginary "red, pink, puhple." it was a rainbow after all!

we saw several trees stripped of bark by local moose. the little man labeled these orange trees. we went as far as the high point from the rainbow side, about 1.15 miles and several hundred feet of elevation. we stood at a blustery, exposed vantage point where we could see across the Turnagain Arm to the Kenai Peninsula and down to the highway below and the passing cars. it was quite windy so we didn't linger long.

on the way up we had seen some large boulders that i promised we would stop at on the way down. the little man enjoyed scrambling around the rocks in the mud and snow. from there he hiked by himself all the way back to the truck (about a half mile) with only one fall. nearer to the TH on the more level sections of trail the little man enjoyed running as fast as his little legs would carry him over the rough ground. judging by the wide grin on his cold reddened rosy face he was having a blast.

as we were hiking with the dogs, several times he queried "where are my doggies?" approaching the truck Jackson ran alongside of him. a great day out and another chance for the little man's love of the outdoors to grow.

date: April 6
mileage: 2.34
elevation:978
time: 1:20

details: R in backpack except last .5 mile; w/ Jax, Mals; Hardrocks; 40˚ wind/sun, mud/snow

dirt mountains

2010-03-31T09:36:00.009-08:00

took the little man hiking today (check out his killer imitation designer shades). it's been a while since i've been out, what with spring break in Texas and all. it was great. hiking with the little man is like having running narration. he talks a ton, describing in detail what is happening.

as we drove up canyon road he saw Flat Top and stated, "That's a big snow mountain. Can we go up there?" i let him know that's where we were headed. as we swung around to the back (south) side the rocky slopes were exposed. "Dad, that's a big dirt mountain. Can we go up and kick it DOWN!" i said we could try.

as we headed up the little man called out "Hello Mountains!" and later declared "Daddy...I live on a hike." as i haven't gotten out in nearly 3 weeks we only made it about 1/2 way up but the little guy was restless and wanted to get out anyway. he proceeded to send as many rocks down the mountain as possible while we sat there.it was sunny, about 42˚ or so and amazing. i was using the Vasque Transistor shoes i won on the irunfar blog. there not really designed for hiking with 35 pounds on your back but the fit and feel was great and the footing secure on the snowy/muddy slopes. i'll get out more in the next couple weeks and get some real runs in.date: March 29
mileage: <1
elevation: around 600'
time: 40min.

details: peak 1 w/ R, Jax, Mals; 42˚ sunny, vasque transistors

oh AK

2010-03-30T08:55:00.002-08:00

so, one awesome thing about AK, it was light out when i got to work at 7:16...but unfortunately it's still only 30˚ and i'm parked next to a snowbank two times as tall as me...please spring, i'm ready for you

little man in a backpack

2010-03-01T20:43:00.004-09:00

been hiking a few times this spring with the little guy in a backpack. he really seems to love it and now almost every time we get in the car he says "we're going on a hike" or asks "we going on a hike?" it's great that he gets such a kick out of it. it's good exercise for me to as he weighs about 35lbs. now. i can run if it's level or a downhill stretch but i don't think it's too comfortable for him so i haven't done it much. maybe when the snow is off the trails it'll be a bit smoother ride.

the first time a couple of weeks ago there was a lot of snow on the little spruce trees and he thought it was hilarious for me to knock it off and watch it fall to the ground. since then we've hiked (w/ Mom and friends) on the Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood, and he and i on the Turnagain Arm Trail (last week).

today though we hit up the Wolverine Bowl Loop, my still 'new' favorite. it is quite a bit longer than anything we've done so far but we had a great time. towards the end i had to keep him distracted with looking for the yellow blazes (that mark the trail) on the trees and pull out a few fruit snacks (his favorite), but overall we looked at the trees ("Dad it's a giving tree"), the birds ("God made the birds too") and the mountains ("I love the mountains"). it was really a blast to be out with him. i can't wait to hit up the trails with he and Tiff this summer. yeeeeeeeahhhhhh!

date: March 1
mileage: 3.95
elevation: 585
time: 80min.

details: wolverine bowl loop w/ R, Jax & Mals. vasque boas. 40˚, overcast, occasional snow flurries

Ultraworm 50k...

2010-01-30T22:06:00.003-09:00

ok, not really official or a race, but i thought Ultraworm had a nice ring to it and though the map says otherwise, i can guarantee that it will be at least 31 miles.

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/ak/anchorage/656126492115871155"&amp;gt;Ultraworm&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-run/united-states/ak/anchorage"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Anchorage, Alaska&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;
it is a rough route, much of which i have run before, just not all at once or strung together in this order. their are two sections of the route that i haven't been on. one, top of near point to Williwaw Lake via Long Lake and two, the Middle Forks trail from it's intersection with the Williwaw lakes trail to the Wolverine Trail. i'm not too concerned about this b/c there is plenty of info out there about these sections.

looking at the route one will notice that the only bail out options would be very early on (Hilltop) or very late (Glen Alps or Hilltop again). i'm pretty pumped on this route. would like to do it as soon as most of the snow is melted up high (early June?). hopefully there will be a gang of us. wanna come?

the hill behind Dave's?

2010-01-25T20:59:00.007-09:00

was invited last minute for a sunset snowshoe hike up into the Chugach behind Dave K's house. Dave lives up on Basher drive and Chugach State Park starts right outside of his back door. He, Trevor, and I set out on a snowshoe packed trail i presume put in by Dave himself. we wove through the trees, climbing higher and higher into the beautiful early evening light. the further we went, the better the views were.
when we reached our turn around, within striking distance of Near Point, the sunset was in full effect. the lighting was beautiful. we could see all of Anchorage, the volcanos Mount Redoubt and Spur, Susitna, Foraker and the Great One, Denali. all were bathed in a warm orange glow, with the best light reserved for Denali. it looked like it was on fire as it glowed with a phosphorous pink hue.
as we ran back it just kept getting better. in the photo above you can see Mount Redoubt on the right. the small cloud to the right of the summit is actually a little bit of volcanic activity. our God is Awesome and i'm thankful he blessed us with an amazing jaunt up the 'hill behind Dave's house.'

quickie

2010-01-25T20:35:00.004-09:00

peak 1 and 2 can make for a quick workout on a Sunday afternoon, but this time was super quick. snow conditions were great on the way up, only needing my running shoes to propel me the 1500 ft./.6 mile up the back of Flat Top. the inversion layer meant the 9˚ at my house turned into 27˚ up high. perfect weather for a run.
after tagging the top of 1 i hustled on up to 2 passing a would be paraglider near the top of one. thought i might get the chance to see him take off but i was up 2 and barreling down before he even got his chute out. their was a great glissade trough coming right off the top of peak 2. i jumped right in, tested the snow conditions to make sure i would be able to stop, and let 'er rip! it was a blast sliding about 80% of the 1500' back to the trailhead. the dogs were 'swimming' though the snow at top speed. it was our new dog O'Malley's first experience on a peak.
the glissade made the down portion so quick that we were up and down in about 54 minutes of total movin' time. wow. boy are my dogs tired, literally...

PDX

2010-01-19T08:34:00.005-09:00

spent the last weekend in Portland with the Alaska Northstars at the Portland FC Winter College Showcase. i was coaching the 92 boys. we did pretty well beating the best team we played, tying twice, and losing once.

it was rainy most of the time we were there but not too cold so it was ok. the weather cleared up yesterday for our last game.

went for a 4.72 mile run with Brian, another coach and good friend, while we were down there. just good to get out even if it was on pavement and in the rain. we ran along the Rock Creek Trail (paved path) for most of the run. no soreness pain or anything the next day. good to see that i've been able to maintain fitness with just a run or so a week. i'm hoping that this keeps up as i start preparing for races this summer. there are a few i would like to do if i can stay injury free. the more minimal approach to my footwear choices seems to be working.

can't wait to hang out with the little guy this afternoon. i really miss my family when i'm away...can't imagine my life without them.

Pedestrian Commute

2009-12-16T11:28:00.007-09:00

The pedestrian commuter awakens to a fresh blanket of snow. He prepares himself for the commute, accounting for the still falling snow and chilly temps. He knows if he wears too much he will overheat during his human powered endeavor. However, if he wears too little the blowing snow and cold will work its way in.

He sets off and everything is new. The blanket of white refreshes the path he has covered countless times before. It is a joy to propel oneself through this renewed winter landscape.
The commuter often sets out earlier than most and finds his path trackless, unhindered by ice, punchy holes, or vehicular commuters.

If the commuter is lucky, a portion of his route may be on trails that wind through the city, or at least multi-use paths leading to businesses or bus stops. Arriving to work energized, the commuter smiles internally at the amount he has accomplished while many of his co-workers slept, or mindlessly drove to work in their isolation capsules. The pedestrian commuter has already embraced the day and the world he lives in, and feels better for it.

After work he prepares again for the homeward journey, looking forward to his built in decompression period. As he makes his way he is soon reminded that the pedestrian commute is an afterthought of city planners and road maintenance crews. The fluffy, pleasant path he travelled on the way in is now covered with several extra inches of dense, plowed road snow. On foot, the commuter soon encounters numb feet, tired legs, and degenerating morale. If he has travelled by bike he is now forced with a decision, trudge through on the now unrideable paths, or risk his life by riding on the freshly plowed street with traffic.

The human powered pedestrian commuter knows that he will face this same dilemma for the next several days. His route will be slow going and difficult until snow removal crews finally clear his paths. The isolationist commuter, wrapped by several thousand pounds of climate controlled steel, glass, and plastic will blissfully travel to work, blinded by his own convenience. The paths have been made clear for him, without regard to the expense of his pedestrian brother.

Are there accommodations that could be made to encourage the pedestrian commuter? Are there compromises to snow removal that would not hinder his progress though the urban landscape? He hopes that someday there will be, but today he just continues down the path he's chosen.

peak 2: first tracks

2009-11-10T21:01:00.008-09:00

went out today for some backcountry snowboarding. not too far backcountry; frontcountry is how i typically refer to it as it is the front range of the Chugach that frames the Anchorage bowl. we finally got snow in town this past weekend, Sunday night specifically, even though the mountains have been covered for a week now. snow in town means more up high and with what promised to be better coverage i figured that i could get some first tracks in at best, at worst do some conditioning for getting first tracks later in the season.

looking up from the pullout it didn't look super promising. decent drifts on the lower part of the slope but up high i could see a lot of exposed rocks. i started up in snowshoes anyway hoping for the best. as i climbed i watched for a line that would allow me to ride from the top of the peak. at about the 2/3 point though i considered ditching the board as all i could see on the top third of the peak were rocks. a little more climbing and i realized that i could connect the upper part of the peak two bowl with the deeper drifts i had been hiking up through, but the peak itself had little snow. i decided to tag the top anyway.
the view from the top of peak two looking south into the powerline valley is one of my favs. from left to right you can see The Ramp, The Wedge, Avalanche Peak, and Ptarmigan Peak. i had to downclimb from this point to connect to the open snow a little lower in the bowl.

Jackson (the dog) wasn't sure what was up as i unloaded my board and strapped in. he whined and paced nervously. i assured him everything would be fine, just not to run in front of me. we had an almost unfortunate event 2 winters ago the first time i took him backcountry riding. he had his paws almost sliced off when he abruptly stopped in front of me as i was going full throttle downhill. i ended up completely yard-saleing in an attempt to avoid him that time. this time however he heeded my warning and kept a good distance to one side or the other, only once cutting in front of me on a slower section.

the ride down was decent, not great for snow conditions but great to be getting a first run of the season in. as i picked my way down i attempted to connect the deeper drifted areas to make a continuous downhill run. it worked for the most part, i only heard my snowboard base scrape rocks a handful of times.
nothing like an early season run to get your blood pumping, legs aching, and beard freezing. made me appreciative of the mess of wiry hair matter blanketing my baby face. i would've had some serious wind/snow burn otherwise. thank heavens for no-shave November, and thank God for SNOW!

a winter affair

2009-11-03T20:24:00.005-09:00

it started innocently enough, just a casual visit to see what it was like. but i keep coming back. i'm drawn in by the beauty and just that it's different. i'm talking about the Wolverine Bowl.

my first couple runs after my recent injury were too familiar, a couple loops in the BLM, backside of Flat Top...say i'm taking it for granted but it's the same ol' thing. so last Tuesday when the snow hit the front range of the Chugach i hit the Prospect Heights trailhead.

it was so new and fresh. the combination of running again, new snow, and the non-familiar drew me back up on Saturday. i had searched online for new trails in the bowl, i found one and ran it with eager excitement. the Wolverine Bowl loop has become my new favorite quick run.

i was back for more today, tackling Wolverine Peak. i've been up before in the summer but it's a different world in the snow. i was making good time till i hit the spine that leads to the ridge. the higher i climbed, the more the wind howled. it got so bad that when a gust tore through i would put my back to it and hunker down. Jackson, who is always bounding ahead would cower behind me and whine when the gusts hit. i'm no expert on guaging wind but i would guess 60-70 mph easy. it got so bad that i had to turn around right below the main ridge, about 1 mile and 1000 feet shy of the summit.

when i made the turn Jackson took off down the spine like, "finally, Dad got some sense blown into him." it was funny to see him bound away through the snow. running down i felt like i was floating most of the way. i took short steps with rapid turnover, which is completely opposite of how i ran before the injury. what had taken 1:22 to get up took only :47 to get down.

great outing with no wind burn or frozen digits. i'm already planning my next rendezvous.

welcome winter

2009-10-29T12:22:00.005-08:00

as i began to run from the prospect heights trailhead, i knew it was going to be a good day. the air was still, calm, and filled with un-fallen snow, the kind of snow that hangs in the air above you with the promise of a future blanket of white. the snow had previously fallen on the hillside, evidenced by the ribbon of trail before me that was soft, white, and untrodden, except for when Jackson would sprint ahead of me. my destination was Near Point.

the run was enjoyable, my first long-ish mountain run since my ankle injury. as i ran up the trail, continuously gaining elevation, the snow deepened. when i finally emerged from the trees and hit the exposed ridge there were drifts of snow about 10" deep. i was following the tracks of another runner now, Hugh, who had passed me lower down. i was appreciative of his footprints because this was only the second time i had made this ascent and the trail was entirely invisible at this point. if one looks closely in the picture you can make out Hugh on the way down.
i was still thoroughly enjoying myself even though my legs and ankles ached in weird places as dormant fibers fired in succession to propel me up the mountain. when i reached the top it was anti-climatic, the sky and snow blending the surroundings into almost zero invisibility. i could tell it was the top only by the slight rounding of the snow drift into a downhill aspect. we snapped a summit shot, i layered up, and we headed down.i shot this on the way down just because of how gorgeous it was. the current BEP song "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night" kept running through my head. it was completely applicable because i knew that after this amazing run i would see my wife and son, later go to a Bible study, and even later attend the Warren Miller opening...good night indeed!

when i reached the car the weather had deteriorated, with the promised snow now falling. it had taken a little under 2 hours to cover the 7 or so miles. i had welcomed winter at the peak of Near Point, what kind of winter will it be? probably a good one.

no planes fly on Thursdays...

2009-10-23T14:13:00.003-08:00

or so it seemed yesterday as i ascended the backside of Flat Top. after 3 weeks in a boot to heal the tendonitis in my left ankle, i have spent this week testing it a bit. Tuesday i ran an easy mile and a half, followed by a couple hundred yards of barefoot running and yesterday headed up Flat Top.

i'm taking the 'shoes are evil' approach in trying to build my foot/arch strength. this is in direct opposition to what the doctor told me i should do, which is to always have my foot in a shoe with custom made orthotics. after much research i really believe that our feet are designed in such a way that they work best naturally, but years of 'supportive' footwear has softened them to the point that they don't know how to do this. by going barefoot as much as possible, wearing minimalist shoes, and barefoot running i think i can get them to perform better than they ever have. there is tons of info on this online. the bestselling book "Born to Run" is another good starting point for research on the subject, and is also a great read.

but back to Flat Top...about 15 minutes into the hike i noticed how deafeningly quiet it was. it was surreal and i wondered at why. then it hit me, there was no air traffic. typically planes are flying directly over the ridge line on their approach to the airport, passing overhead every 10-15 minutes. but i guess not on Thursdays.

it was magnificent. the sun was struggling to break through the clouds as a light wind blew in the 40˚ air. i strode strongly up the mountain, wondering how much of my fitness i had lost during my forced inactivity. not much in the way of cardio i discovered as i hit the top in a record time for me, 24 minutes. my previous best had been 28. the way down though was a different story as my quads turned to jello half way down and i was forced to walk because my stride was uncontrollable and sloppy. still managed to lop 30 seconds off my best time down with an overall time of 37:30.

report today is no tendon pain, praise God, only sore quads.

above the clouds

2009-10-14T20:19:00.003-08:00

yesterday we had cloud cover in Anchorage all day, and i mean in Anchorage literally...there was a ground fog covering everything all day long. it is not uncommon for a low cloud cover to settle in, but a ground fog all over town is a first for me in 13 years of living here.

i decided to try and get above the clouds by driving up towards Glen Alps trailhead. i knew it was a long shot as the cloud layer is typically around 2500-2800 feet and the trailhead parking lot is around 2200 i think.

when i got there i was still in the clouds, but i noticed the krumholz in the corner of the parking lot. sometimes it's not always best to get where you're trying to go.

the little boy and the worm

2009-10-11T21:10:00.014-08:00

once upon a time there was a little boy. he was a very content little boy and there were many things that made him happy. one of those things that made him happy was discovering new things in the great wide world outside of his house. mommy and daddy called it the backyard, but to the little boy it was the whole world.
one day he was playing outside after the cool rains of fall had washed the earth. as he romped around the yard he looked down and discovered something he had never seen before. it was long and shiny and wriggled across the wet ground. being an adventurous little boy, he did not hesitate to make friends with it.
reaching down he gently grasped the thing by the tail and lifted it up. "what's this?" he asked, but his new friend made no reply. hmm, thought the boy as the friend wiggled in his hand. i have never seen anything like this, maybe it wants to play.
the little boy had all sorts of adventures in mind for he and his new little friend, but first maybe it wanted to slide. the boy place the worm on the top of the slide, but the worm just sat there. maybe it was scared because the slide was so big, the little boy thought to himself.
the little boy thought that maybe his new friend would prefer something lower to the ground. he spied the teeter totter out in the yard and took the worm over to it. "here you go," he proclaimed, placing his friend on one end of the totter.
"right here," he emphasized to his new friend. the worm slowly wriggled back and forth across the seat as the boy delightfully gave it rides up and down. after a while, the worm seemed to be tiring of the teeter totter. the little boy picked up the worm and brought it near. "you go in there" the little boy told his friend, thinking it needed some encouragement, but the worm seemed to say it'd had enough fun for one day.the little boy decided that maybe it was time for his new friend to go back to where it lived in the leaves. he looked around and around and found some other wriggly friends. he placed it down as he said, "bye bye, night night."

what a great day in the wide world, and what a great adventure.

summer recap

2009-09-04T10:16:00.004-08:00

the summer came and went; fast, furious, and fun. one of the best on (my) record weather-wise. i'll present some highlights as it would be mind boggling to try and go back and remember all the awesomeness.

it was amazing to only work minimally this summer. only guided one trip, coached on a 5 day nw college tour, and reffed a couple nights a week. what was amazing was the time i was able to spend with my wife and child. waking up each day and having the entire day to play in the sunshine with them was the #1 highlight of my summer. that being said, here are some more rapid fire:

14 mile run on the Kenai's long lake trail, which parallels the lost lake trail near Seward.

10 mile run to Eagle/Symphony Lakes in the south fork valley. awesome swim in Symphony. 86˚ temperature when i returned to the truck.

8 mile rabbit lake run.

ran the Crow Pass Crossing for the third time. though it was my worst time yet, i learned much from this race and was blown away by what is possible, ie. Geoff Roes' sub 3 hours, wowzer! next year i may even train seriously for this event.

camping and canoeing at a 'secret' spot for the 12th anniversary of marriage to my sweetpea, Tiffany.

swimming in the kiddie pool with my little guy.

northwest college tour with the Alaska Northstars select soccer team. we hit 9 colleges in 5 days, from Seattle to Portland and back.

guiding another awesome Kenai Multisport trip for The World Outdoors. a sampling of some of the best day trips on the Kenai.

....this is what i can think of right now. fun times, great summer.

and oh yeah, i'm injured again. it'll heal though, just no running for a while.

the bird ridge race...

2009-06-22T12:24:00.004-08:00

officially known as the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb, occurred yesterday. there were roughly 250 racers who took off in three waves. the first wave was made up of competitive racers who expected to finish in under 50 minutes. the second wave was for those who thought they would finish in 45-65 minutes. the third wave was for the youth racers who would be racing to the halfway point (a new addition to the race this year) and for all other racers who were out to run at whatever speed they liked.

being my first attempt at this race i situated myself near the front of the second wave, taking off 5 minutes after the first wave. going into the race i had no idea about what kind of time to expect. i've only been to the very top of the ridge (the race's end) once (in the winter) but i'm pretty familiar with the lower trail. i set my sights on 1-3 hours. i was pretty certain i would fall within this time frame.

i was able to stay near the front of the pack for the first 25 minutes or so but began slowing down after that. about 40 minutes in there was only one guy directly in front of me and a woman about 80 yards behind me. this became my race: to pass the guy in front of me and not let the woman behind pass. a small world, but a manageable one.

the weather was cold; raining and blowing on the ridge. that sort of weather is able to isolate a person even when other runners are in sight. i focused on one steep step at a time, head down, pushing into the wind that pushed back against my right side and drove frozen rain straight through my apparel and into my skin. it was especially easy to fall into the trance while on sections of the open ridge where the wind steadily howled, pulling at my number and causing the windshirts of racers ahead of me to flap loudly and violently. i tried my best to ignore the cold until i had the odd sensation of losing feeling in my chest. it was strange but from above my stomach to below my neck i couldn't feel anything except the tightness of my breath.

at about 50 minutes in i began to see the race leaders on their way down. typically the winners finish in around 40 minutes or so and as they began to trickle by some gave encouraging words, others a smile, and still others passed with arms wrapped tightly around themselves and glassy stares. the cold had taken it's toll on some runners. my brother-in-law reported that his time was "terrible" as he passed me on his way down. i asked what was up and as his voice blended into the wind behind me all i heard was something about the cold.

i turned my focus ahead and felt strong as the trail's angle started to lessen. i by no means have any kind of illusion that i will be competitive in these races. i do it for the sole purpose that i want to see what my body and mind are capable of. that, and the camaraderie of the trail running community. right before the false summit a down climbing racer encouraged "right over this this rise it flattens out and you can jog again." unless you've been power hiking uphill for almost an hour you may not realize how much of an encouragement that is. at this point, any leg movement other than the single leg squats you've been doing is welcomed. it did 'flatten', meaning become less vertical than it was, and i was able to air out my legs a bit.

i had passed the guy that was in front of me on a similar short section several minutes ago and no was focused on an older woman in front of me that had passed me much earlier in the race on a steeper section. i wasn't going to pass her in these last 100 yards or so to the endpoint, that's just bad form, but i did want to catch her. i did in the last short climb and we finished roughly together with a time of 1:08 something...

the official results will be posted here at some point.

i took a shot of gu. guzzled a bit of water that someone offered at the top as i hadn't brought any, and began the hike down. i sipped on a can of Coors Light that had been handed to me at the summit with a declaration of "Happy Solstice!" oh yeah, this is not only Father's Day but also the longest day of the year was my thought as i had received it. heading down i now did my part to encourage the racers still coming up: staying out of their way and shouting words to spur them on. i poured out the remainder of the beer and put the crushed can in my pocket. this wasn't because i didn't want it but because i couldn't really feel my fingers. well, i could feel them but they felt like frozen hot dogs. i attempted to re-warm them and continued down. the rest of the way down was uneventful, just a slow slog on tired legs.

overall the race was exactly what i had imagined going into it. on the way up it hurt terribly, upon finishing there was that sense of elation, and then coming down i wished it would end quickly. though it wasn't the sunny version of the race i envisioned, it was just as well. another AK experience recorded in my mind and body.

rabbit lake

2009-06-17T14:05:00.006-08:00

the clouds hung low over the peaks of the front range of the Chugach, as my trusty trail running companion and i headed back towards Rabbit Lake for a training run. because of the weather there was one thing i knew for sure, i wouldn't be overheated, but there were other issues in my mind as i began down the trail.

it has been a busy couple of weeks and this was my first serious run since o'malley. i knew that i would still be able to run the 8 miles to Rabbit Lake and back, but didn't know how i would feel afterward. i am also nursing a pulled leg muscle that throbbed with every step. but the weather was great for running and i quickly settled into a groove on the initial 2 mile climb.

as we leveled off the view of the suicide peaks came into sight. typically this is where one would get a view of the tops of these impressive peaks, but not today. just a snowy headwall and the far-off view of the last rise one climbs before dropping down to the lake.
it is a gradual, rocky uphill trail from the halfway point, and we arrived at the lake in under an hour. there was one tent on the northern shore and the lake was as beautiful as always. i've visited the lake in sun, wind, rain, and snow and it always impresses me with it's alpine beauty.

we only stuck around long enough to eat a granola bar and snap a picture, it was a 'training' run after all. bouncing back down the trail was much easier as it is all slightly downhill on the way out. we passed a couple of hikers on the way and exchanged pleasantries. it's always refreshing to me that the further you are back on a trail, or the rougher the country, the nicer the people are that you encounter. i venture that if you saw the same people in the grocery store you'd get the same responses.

the weather held on the way out, but i could see sun over parts of anchorage. we made it back to the car in 1:41. a decent time considering i thought it might take 3 hours. another great day mucking about in the Alaskan frontcountry.

Spencer Loop

2009-06-05T23:29:00.002-08:00

last night i went on a bike ride. it had been raining lightly and i had been putting off a run but finally convinced myself to get out of the house at about 9pm. had my sights set on Spencer Loop.

Spencer Loop was one time (years ago) rated as one of the top ten trails in some mountain bike publication. i wonder if the person who wrote the article ever rode the trail. it is a great trail if you like double track with long steep climbs and short non-technical descents. i've ridden on parts of Spencer Loop in the past, but this was my first time riding the entire loop. it was the workout i expected.

in fact, even the dog got a workout. he has been 'on loan' recently as we have farmed him out to friends who want a companion on their various runs. he had been up Bird Ridge earlier in the day so a 13 mile bike rode really wore him out.

all in all it was a good outing in spite of the rain, which had gone from a slight drizzle at the beginning of the ride to a substantial soaking by the end. good times.

O'Malley Peak

2009-05-27T20:21:00.006-08:00

yesterday i ran one of my favorite peaks in the front range of the Chugach, O'Malley. having hiked this peak several times i was quite familiar with the trail, but only having run small portions of it i was unsure how it would be as a full trail run. about an 8 mile round trip with 4,000 ft. of climbing it typically takes a day hiker 6-8 hours to complete. my goal was 4 hours. my constant trail companion, Jackson, was along for the run.we started off down the trail a little before noon. it was another gorgeous day in which temperatures would reach near 70˚. i had worn long sleeves thinking that it would offer sun protection as well as warmth if it were windy up high. the shirt was quickly shed on the first climb as the day heated up. legs burning i reached the saddle between Little and False O'Malley and began to run up the ballpark (the large bowl below the main peak).there was a bit of snow to negotiate at the saddle, and again on the lower reaches of the ballpark, but it was to be expected. from this vantage point i thought that leaving the ice ax at home was a mistake as it appeared that the up gully contained a lot of snow. (this wouldn't be the case though as the snow ribbons were easy to negotiate around.) the trail becomes more of a route after turning off at the top of the ballpark and heading up the gully. i pushed hard and reached the top of the gully in under 20 minutes, and 20 minutes after that was standing on the top of O'Malley.the view from the top is amazing as in one direction one sees Anchorage and beyond, and in the other the Chugach range stretches as far as the eye can see. looking down on the east side of the peak one sees sheer cliffs falling away for thousands of feet. Black Lake lies in the shadow of the peak and at this time of year is still mostly frozen and drifted over. it's mind blowing to think that in a couple of weeks the lake will be completely thawed and ready for a chilly mountain swim.
all in all it was an amazing day out. my watch died shortly after reaching the peak so on the way out i had no idea if i was on track for my 4 hour time or not. i pushed hard though, or at least as hard as my legs would let me. coming down the scree and the snow is always fun and easy on the 'ol knees. when i reached the car the clock showed my total time had been 3:04. that was total time so subtracting the 5 or so minutes I spent on top and refilling water bottles at the Campbell creek crossing (i ran out of water on the way back), i figure it was under a 3 hour run. i've got a little sunburn and a few scratches to show for it...it was a blast.

1st time clamming

2009-05-24T15:39:00.005-08:00

today we went clamming, well actually we joined some friends who went clamming and came in on the tail end of the low tide, but we got a few. our friends Brad and Tobi who own the lodge had gone to Ninilchik with a couple more of the crew staying at the lodge, so Tiff, the little guy, Jackson and I piled in the car and met them down there.

they were making their way in but we got on the beach in enough time to dig out 4 clams. I had never clammed before so Tobi instructed me in how it's done. I had two misses but dug out the third one.

it was pretty fun. now having done it we'll probably do it more as the whole family can do it. the little guy even got into it, probing the sand with his dowel, teaching mommy how it's done.

I love AK!

down on the Kenai...

2009-05-23T13:00:00.007-08:00

Soldotna precisely. A bunch of us are out at my buddy's lodge on the Kenai river. it's the opening weekend for King Salmon in Nikiski, an hour down the road. a bunch of the guys got up in the morning (3am ish) to go. they came back after about 30 min. of fishing without any fish. not me...I was snuggled in my bed with Tiff. I definitely made the right choice.

last night the sunset over the Kenai was pretty nice.

ah, Memorial Day Weekend. school's out and summer is getting off to a great start.

peak 1 and 2

2009-05-20T13:58:00.013-08:00

my buddy Jared and I ran peak 1 & 2 last night. our time was right around an hour. it was an awesome night to be out, as has been almost every night for the past 3 weeks. it was Jared's first time on that particular route and he, Jackson (my pound puppy) and I had a great run. I'm feeling strong and good about the upcoming summer. running hurts much less than it ever has for me. I attribute it to the core strengthening I learned in my last round of PT. Thanks Lisa at Healthwise in Eagle River!can you spot Jackson? he kind of blends in. this is Jared heading up peak 1.

on my way up peak 2, peak 1 (Flat Top) in the background.Jackson on top of peak 2 with Powerline Pass valley behind him.

Jared applauds himself at the top of 2.

peak 1

2009-05-14T08:51:00.004-08:00

I've been doing a bit of training and mucking about recently but haven't been posting. springtime is always so busy with school winding down and soccer season in full effect. yes, for some odd reason the high school soccer season in Alaska is in the spring. tell me how that makes sense...

the weather has been amazing so far this spring, meaning April; upper 60's, sunny, even a few days nearing 70. I'm hoping that it continues and this is an awesome summer, making up for last year's non-summer (rainy and cold). even if the summer isn't good I've almost spent more time outside this year than last year collectively.

as summer is right around the corner (school gets out next Thursday) I hope to be posting more frequently. my 'training' is going well, not consistent yet but well. core workouts happen about every other day, with a run, bike, or hike on the alternating days. my longest run so far has only been 1.5 hours so I need to start building that up if I hope to achieve my racing goals this summer. my first race, Turnagain Arm Trail, is in 2 weeks. it's about 8 mi. so it'll let me know where I stand fitness wise.

there is a huge difference between my running now and before my last knee surgery. the PT was just what I needed. it actually taught me how to run. last night I went up the back of peak 1 (Flat Top) then crossed over to peak 2 to run down. it's a pretty common training route for mountain runner folks. I was allowing myself 45 min. up and about 30 down. I had taken the little guy in the backpack the weekend before and had only made it to the cliff band in 30 min. (about 2/3 of the way up). to my surprise I was to the top in 31:30 and back to the car in 46:40.

wow. fastest I've ever run that. I thank God for blessing me with the ability to even still run, let alone be faster than I ever remember being. if one has read past posts one knows the challenges I've faced with this. I am so grateful that I'm able to run after 4 knee surgeries.

yee haw! bring on summer.

spring time in AK

2009-04-18T10:37:00.006-08:00

here's a photo of me with the little guy packed up on my back. took a short hike to an overlook on the Turnagain Arm Trail (aka Johnson Trail). it was fun to be out. the little guy is loving being outside, which is awesome as Tiff and I love it too. he will randomly bring us his coat or shoes or stand at the door with items in hand. often if I run out to the car to grab something, he'll bang on the screen door saying "out". good times.

I'm still here/PT

2009-04-03T21:44:00.002-08:00

i have been neglecting my blog so far this spring as spring is always a busy time. i a soccer coach at a local high school and the season started March 9th. going straight from work to practice to home leaves not much room for extra stuff, so here i am, many weeks since my last post.

i've just finished up a month of Physical Therapy for my knee. it has been quite productive for me. i've undergone gait analysis (i did everything wrong when i ran) and have gotten some valuable core strengthening exercises. the overall process has been extremely helpful. i've learned, as i guessed, that my posture and lack of core strenght hasave a lot to do with my injuries and recurring ailments.

we began with gait analysis the first session and just starting with walking, their were numerous points that the therapist gave me that corrected some long standing issues. once i began to run the therapist gave constant feedback as to how to move more efficiently and with less impact. by the end of the session my stride was better, i felt strong, and had less pain than when i started. i also went home with some exercises that would help to keep my hips in alignment as they are the foundation for my posture.

the next session i ran some more, continueing to receive feedback, and worked on some core and leg strengthining sessions on the BOSU. the next session: more running and band exercises.

the final session was cut short because i had received a knock in a soccer game the previous wekend. no, not in the legs fortunately but in my hand. it was quite painful and had swollen up a lot. it looked like a surgical glove when you blow up the palm. i was evaluated and measured to guage my progress then sent to get x-rays. no fracture which is good. the swelling has gone down and the pain has subsided.

that's what's been going on. more posts to come when i begin training and getting out and about in AK.

"training" run 2

2009-03-03T21:55:00.002-09:00

yesterday I went for my first real run since my last knee surgery (6 weeks ago today). the little guy (in the bob), the dog and I went out and ran 2.85 miles in 30 min. not speedy by any means but it felt great to be out there. I can feel it today but not in a pain way but in a "hey, I remember doing this kind of stuff" way.

I ran kind of a ladder b/c I wanted to ease into it. I ran 3 then walked 1, then ran 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 5:1 and then was home or I would have gone back to 3. it was good times. the little guy was babbling away most of the time, enjoying the dog running alongside and the cars driving by. the temp was about 20-25˚ perfect for a winter/spring run.

word.

rental van fun in Phoenix

2009-03-03T21:35:00.004-09:00

so what is it with me and about 2 weeks between posts? so much happens in that amount of time that I really shouldn't wait so long. so be it.

here is the much awaited (?) rental van off-roading in Phoenix. let me set up the scene: I have been going to the President's Day Tournament in Phx for the last several years, coaching with the Alaska Northstars program. I have been eye-balling this empty lot for the last couple years thinking it would be so much fun to drive around in it. so this year, with only 5 players in the 15 passenger van, I went for it. we made a big full lap around this huge lot then one of the players commented that he should have recorded the action on his cell phone. the 46 second clip that you see here is just a mini-version because I didn't want to risk going around again (breakage or somebody calling the police). FYI this was a commercial lot so no fragile desert vegetation was harmed that isn't going to be harmed eventually anyway.

it was hilarious afterwards to be driving around in a big white van that was now caked in mud. we were the envy of all the other teams in their clean big white vans.

back to training...but not really

2009-02-17T11:21:00.007-09:00

so, here I am. four weeks out from knee surgery as of today. I'm posting a couple of much needed (?) updates as I realize it has been about two weeks.

the knee is recovering nicely, as is my mental state on the whole issue as well. with prayer, discussions with a couple of good friends, and input from my wife, God has brought me to the place where I am ok with whatever the outcome may be from my lack of normal knees. within a weeks time I found myself going from not wanting to 'be that guy' who can't participate b/c of old injuries to finding myself saying to an acquaintance that "yeah, after a fourth surgery my playing days are probably done." as I write this there is a part of me that sincerely hopes that this is not true, but at the same time if it is, I am completely at peace with it. there are other activities that I can do and other things I want to be able to do for a lifetime.

that being said, here is a picture from my recent 'return' to training. Jackson, the little guy, and I went for a 2 mile walk around the neighborhood last Thursday. it was great to get out with them and walk around on a mild winter day. I love being outside more than being anywhere else and I'm hoping that the little guy will share that love too.

as for other rehab, I've been on the elliptical up to 20 min. with no pain or swelling and have also jogged a couple of times at the dome. I found a progressive jogging program online at the physioroom.com and have done the first two day's workouts but didn't want to push it. like the doc says "little by little." I'm actually going to follow that this time.

I haven't completed committed to the core program yet that I spoke of earlier, but it is something I need to do and will begin hitting it for real soon. keep me accountable...

that's it for now from ak. next post be looking for some rental van baja action from this past weekend in Phoenix.

2 weeks ago today...

2009-02-03T21:17:00.004-09:00

I was a knee-surgery-aholic.

yesterday I had my 2 week follow-up appointment for my menisectomy. the knee is progressing nicely. it has returned to better range of motion than pre-surgery and never did swell, bruise, or cause much pain. I was cleared for jogging (doc doesn't prefer it though), stationary bike, elliptical, nordic track, and swimming. in the past elliptical, bike, and swimming have been my therapies of choice.

as much as I'm itching to begin running again I'm taking doc 'orders' (he actually likes to call them recommendations because as he says "people are going to do what they want"). he says to start little-by-little and non-impact activities will build and prepare the leg muscles for impact activities. I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical before I remembered that the doc said "start with a little bit." my knee was feeling so good and I would typically do at least 40 minutes so I hadn't even given it a second thought and the time had aleady flown past. so I went 5 more minutes and then cooled down. I went straight out to the living room and did some passive heel slides for range of motion. 5 hours later now I have no pain and no swelling, good signs.

for the core routine I'm beginning one can find more info on the runner's world website. I liked the whole article and appreciate that the workout is not about building a six pack, but is about developing a practical core with the mechanics of running in mind. I'm sure that with a change in diet though (less fat and sugar) a six pack would develop as a side result. in reading their description of how the different core muscle groups affect running I am not at all suprised that my lack of core strength has added to my knee issues. I'm committed to do everything possible to prevent further knee injuries and it appears to me that core strength is to be a big part of that. I'm sure that not going out and running 16 mile trail races without training will also help...

my mental state on the matter is still conflicted. I'm still struggling with the thought of not being able to trail run or play soccer again; of being that guy who can't participate because he has an old injury. I've never given that guy a second thought before, but now at the prospect of being him I have a new perspective, empathy, and respect for that position. again, the reality is that my quality of life for myself and for my family is more important than my own personal pursuits. the idol of reputation and physical ability needs to be laid down for the bigger picture. I can say it but it still makes me cringe.

Menisectomy

2009-01-24T12:45:00.002-09:00

before you get any ideas about some sort of 'sectomy let me remind you that cartilage in your knee is a meniscus, therefore a menisectomy means a removal of some of that cartilage, or in my case a whole lot.

my surgery was Tuesday (20th) and was a straightforward arthroscopy. my cartilage was torn where the repair had been done in 2006. it was a pretty large tear towards the back of my knee and a lot of cartilage had to be removed to make it right. the doc also cleaned up a lot of scar tissue towards the front of the knee so hopefully my range of motion will be even better.

this being my fourth knee surgery I knew what to expect going into it. my recovery so far though has really exceeded my expectations: minimal swelling, no pain (just slight discomfort), great range of motion, not much loss of strength...better than what can be expected. I'm hoping at my two week appointment I'll be cleared for the elliptical or stationary bike.

in trying to make a return to the activities I enjoy (trail running and soccer specifically) I need to realistically consider that I may not be able to return at all. as my doctor said, "you need to remember that you don't have normal knees." I need to be willing to let those things go if necessary if I want to avoid any further knee problems. it's hard for me to accept this but I'm asking God to change my heart. I want to be able to run and play with my little guy as he grows up and do activities that may limit my ability to do that are not worth it. my pride still needs convincing though.

another thing that I've realized is that I have too often just expected my body to be able to do things: climb thousands of vertical feet in a day, run 20+ miles on sketchy terrain, play in soccer games with little rest between, trail racing without training...in all these things I have taken my physical ability for granted. I need to not do this anymore. any return to running/racing needs to be preceeded by conditioning, training, and proper nutritional intake. I've also discovered that my lack of focused core strength has added to the beating on my legs. a good core routine will be started as soon as I'm cleared for it.

so, I'm learning and growing and looking forward to the future.

prognosis/portland

2009-01-17T21:06:00.004-09:00

well, it's been awhile...but I haven't been doing much 'mucking' since my knee swelled up. the word is that I'll be having my 4th knee surgery on Tuesday. Doc thinks that I've re-torn the cartilage in my right knee that had been repaired in '06. didn't last as long as the first repair.

oh well. the good news is that it'll only be a 6-8 week recovery, versus the 8-10 months with an ACL repair. should still give me plenty of time to train for the races I want to do this summer. I was hoping to get an early start but I think with this surgery I'll definitely be better off.

on another note I'm in Portland for a soccer tournament. I've been coaching with the Alaska Northstars for the last 5 years. this year I'll be with the u17 boys for both this tourney and President's Day in Phoenix. we had a great day of play today. in the first game we deserved a win with our play but lost on an unlucky goal in the final 5 minutes. final score of 1-2. in our second today we dominated at bigger, faster team 2-0. both goals coming after great build-up of play. this team is probably the best Northstars team I have coached. the are quick, technical, and tough. great qualities for any team. we have one game tomorrow and one on Monday. I think we'll win 'em both.

word.

trick knee?

2008-12-31T21:37:00.002-09:00

well, I've hit a snag in my 'training' program. my right knee is swollen. didn't notice it until after my tempo run today on the treadmill. I have a history with knee surgeries so I have to be careful.

here's the history in a nutshell: '99 - left knee ACL reconstruction, meniscus removal and repair; '04 - left knee meniscus removal (on the repaired part from '99); '06 - right knee ACL reconstruction, meniscus removal and repair.

left knee has been great since the last surgery. the right knee has been great until about 2 months ago when it inadvertently went into negative flexion during a soccer game. it has been kind of tricky since then. feeling a bit stiff after sitting in the same position, sore in the morning, extending into negative occasionally, etc. I think it just doesn't like the negative as it hadn't gone there since the surgery.

if you don't know knees, a normal knee has both positive and negative flexion. negative flexion is when you lock your knees. after a surgery like mine a person will usually be limited on their flexion capacity because of scar tissue, rehabilitation, and other factors. well, the ol' right knee hadn't been in the negative for over two years. so I'm wondering if it is getting used to it or if there is another problem. either way, it is another hit to my pride and frustrating my efforts to be a quality, competitive runner.

the reality is though that I'm only 33 and I want to be able to run, hike, bike, heck even walk later in life so I've got some evaluating to do...

cold run

2008-12-28T10:50:00.006-09:00

well, went back out for a run today. first since "the great sickness of '08." it was good to get out, but c-c-c-cold. about 5˚ when I left the house. it can be 5-10˚ colder on the trails at the BLM Campbell Tract where I run, so it may have been below zero while I was out.

I ran from the house to the Science Center on the road, then on trails up to the bridge at the Airstrip TH, then down the Moose Track Trail to back to the road and home. Trail conditions were good. About a 4.65m run overall that took me 53min. Jackson came and enjoyed running through the deep snow just off trail.

when I returned home Tiff snapped this pic. Kind of like old man winter...enjoy!

That Hideous Strength

2008-12-22T20:37:00.001-09:00

just finished reading That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. it has been 12 years since I began reading his Space Trilogy in college. I read the first two books voraciously and have read them again just recently. I had never however gotten more than a few pages into the third book though. now that I'm finished with it, I wish there were more.

you know how when you're in a good book and are enjoying it so much that you keep reading and reading, but at the same time know that if you keep reading it will end quicker? that's how it was with this book. I was really into it. C.S. Lewis has an amazing way with words. when reading his work I find my mind thinking actively more often. I dream more. I am uninterested in TV or other mindless pursuits. it is an interesting effect, I agree.

C.S. Lewis really prompts one to think about a variety of different things in his Space Trilogy: science, religion, love, Christianity, hedonism, beauty...what a great read.

I'm officially over the virus/infection I was struggling with the past 2 1/2 weeks, but have to say that it has taken the wind out of my sails in regards to running and establishing a base of fitness. that and the fact that it's 5˚ outside and has been below 15˚ all weekend. it'll happen though. I'll get back out there.

virus

2008-12-13T15:46:00.002-09:00

nothing like a virus to knock you off of your not-so-well made plans. I had been getting in the zone to begin some serious base training when a virus has taken it all out of me. I was in bed yesterday from about 1130am until 10am this morning. no food was had that day. feeling better today but still working it out. the little guy is off his game too, so's Tiff. we'll all come around though. hopefully sooner than later.

this morning

2008-12-09T09:14:00.008-09:00

as I walk up the neighborhood hill the crunching of my studded running shoes on the icy road reverberates off the quiet unlit houses. it's relatively early and the main cross street is empty. I begin to run down the roadside path and an unfamiliar 'thump thump thump' joins in with the 'crunch crunch crunch' underfoot. I figure out it's coming from the pack on my back that contains the necessities for work: clean clothes and a laptop. could be the homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies baked with love by my wife. probably not them though, just thinking about my empty stomach. mild pain emanates from my right knee. I ignore it as that pain is a usual companion, but there is something else slowing me down: my heavy lungs. the pressure within them makes my breath labored and short. I don't know if I'll make it the 4 miles to work; I don't know if I'll make it to the corner. I stop. the vapor from my breath rises up through the 20˚ air, lit intermittently by the flashing LEDs on my headlamp. looking at my watch I realize it's only been 8 minutes since I left the house. turning around in defeat I head back for the warmth of home. 6 minutes later a shower and a hot tea ease my breathing. I'll run to work another day.

if someone says, "I'm going to shave all my body hair" does that mean their head too?

2008-12-07T20:49:00.012-09:00

so on friday, I went snow-board-ing at Alyeska Resort with the East High School snowboard club. what a great way to spend the day, getting paid to chaperone students while snowboarding at an amazing resort. for those who know Alyeska, high traverse opened for the first time friday and first tracks down it were bomber. shoot, even second and third and fourth runs were great. I took along a lomo fisheye lens camera and took some shots with it. the one here is probably the best one from the day...still figuring out how to best use the camera. anyway, it was a ton-o'-fun and I'm quite sore from my first day out on the slopes for the season.

to follow that up, my soccer team had a game on saturday night (at the dome) and I planned on being really wiped, but once we got playing it wasn't that bad. my body feels like it's shaping up even though it's only been a week since I've started from my baseline. we lost, but we always do. I missed wide a goal I should have scored and actually made one I shouldn't have. Dan scored a hat trick. I'm going to try to run commute to work this week, let you know how it goes.

other notes: took some random photos of snow on lightposts (will post later if worth it), manchester united played a nail biter against sunderland on saturday winning 1-0 in extra time, we got our tree put up and Tiff made it look beautiful as always, the little guy loves santa homer...

let me leave with this: is your head just another body part, or is it its own thing? like do you have a body and a head, or just a body? what prompted this question is this, if someone says, "I'm going to shave all my body hair" does that mean their head too?

blocky may change your life

2008-12-04T13:32:00.001-09:00

blocky came into my life today. he turned my day around. what with his sadness turning to giddyness, all by just forming a rectangle with 3 of his friends. be prepared to get silly. I know I did. what's your high score?

photo from the weekend

2008-12-03T20:15:00.001-09:00

just wanted to share a photo from this past weekend. the little guy and the next republican president!?

along another thoughtline, isn't it funny how you can talk to people you haven't seen in over a decade and still connect? just tonight I spoke to two buddies from college, which was now 13 years ago ...sometimes I wish I did a better job of maintaining relationships. selfishly, I've never done it because I'm lazy and so far away from most of the people I was close with. it seems like another lifetime, great friends in college that I now don't know anymore. long lost friends are always the same in that you share the same memories, but so different in that they have lived a lot of life since then...

establishing a baseline

2008-12-02T16:23:00.001-09:00

so today was the first time I've seriously run since competing in the Crow Pass Crossing in July. I use the term 'competing' loosely as I am typically a back of the packer; a 5:10.44 finish for 68th out of 91 men this year. anyway, I've run that 26 mile trail race twice in 3 years without any serious training other than weekly coed soccer games, mountain biking, and the occasional mountain run. other than Crow Pass, I've run the Lost Lake Run twice also, the first time in 2004 in 2:33.11, and the second time in 2007 coming off of my second ACL surgery the previous summer in 3:01.22. to say the least, I'm not fit just a glutton for punishment.

in establishing a baseline today I realized that I'm pretty soft. let me set up the run for you: 10°F, running from my house with Jackson my dog down to the BLM which is typically at least 5° colder than at my house. it ended up being a 4 mile run, about 2.5 of which was on snow packed and frozen sidewalk and the rest on slightly groomed powder and walked-on powder (12" from the weekend snows). I usually run hot so I wore socks and liners with my goretex montrails, windproof front tights, a wicking tshirt and montbell light shell jacket. a flourescent carhartt cap and glittens rounded out the ensemble. I was plenty warm. my shoes also had studs installed this afternoon for the occasion. (that's Jackson, who's also soft, in the background of the picture.) about 3/4 of a mile in I was wishing I had brought my neck gaiter as that was the only thing that was cold but by the end of the first mile, nothing was cold anymore. in fact, as I hit the groomed trail at the BLM I removed my glittens as I was heatin' up good.

my goals in this next summer in regards to running is to run Crow Pass again (in 4:30 or better), Lost Lake (I haven't ever done both in the same summer), and I'd like to run the Hope 50 miler if I feel ready for it. I plan to run the above 4 mile loop a month from now and I'll see if I'm still as soft.

as for other baselines in my life, running causes me to think after I get in the groove. my thoughts often turn to the grace of God and how little I understand such a simple concept...more on that later as my little guy (14 months old) is waking up from his afternoon nap. he's a bit sick today, sounds like Vader my wife says.

later.

what it is?

2008-12-02T10:23:00.000-09:00

welcome to the first day of ak worm. this blog is about many things: teaching, art, trail running, mountain biking, snowboarding, life, and figuring out how God's grace is at the center of it all. if any of this piques your interest then look around, make some posts, ask some questions. i look forward to hanging out with you.