Monday, July 28, 2014

8 WEEKS UNTIL KODIAK

"If you concentrate on your breathing, it will go away."  

Zen Proverb

I check the time as I shuffle past Saddle Junction.  It is 330pm, I have been on the trail since 6am and I still have 10k to run.  I dig deep, in the bottom of my pack is a caffeinated energy gel that my friend left when he borrowed the pack in April - thanks, Dustin!  I have been saving it for just such an occasion.  Hello Cliff Shot my old friend, I sing to the melody of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence."  I swallow it with my last ounce of water and start down Devil's Slide.  The afternoon heat intensifies with every switchback and by the time I reach Humber Park, it is brutally hot.  I continue to put one foot in front of the other and concentrate on my breath.  I stumble into my living room at 5pm, it is 92 degrees inside.  I have just completed a 38 mile training run in exactly 11 hours, and I am beat.

This Weeks Training Log:

Monday - Yoga 30-40 minutes - Core Work 60-70 minutes

Tuesday - Scenic Trail from house - 6.3 miles

Wednesday - Surfed at Doheny and Rested

Thursday - Up South Ridge, Up Angels Glide, Down Strawberry Cienega, Up Deer Springs, Out and Back on Fuller Ridge, Up Deer Springs to San Jacinto Peak, Down Wellmans, Down Angels Glide, Down Devils Slide, Across Scenic, House to House 38 miles - 11hours.

Friday - Yoga 30-40 minutes - Core Work 60-70 minutes

Saturday - Yoga 30-40 minutes - Scenic Trail from house - 6.3 miles, chose the hottest part of the day, 1p-230p for some more heat training.

Sunday  - Yoga 30-40 minutes - Core Work 40 minutes - Tahquitz Peak from South Ridge 7 miles, recovery walk with Margaret and Juniper through town.


Dawn Patrol


Sky Island

Sugar Pine

Split Rock

Limber Pine

Looking South

New Trail

Old Grayback

San Jac




Monday, July 21, 2014

48 MILES - 14 HOURS

"When dancing,

the whole point of the dancing is the dance."

Alan Watts


"Breakie"

"Sunscreen"
"Dawn Patrol"

"Vogelsang"

"Stupa"

"Mile Long Falls"

"Merced Lake"

"Water?"

"14 miles to go"

"Build-up"

"Glen Aulin"

"Glen Aulin Falls"


"The Cathedrals"
"Aftermath"

"Fairview"

Monday, July 14, 2014

BACK ON THE TRAIL

Vince Brown wrote, “None of us can be sure… until we search diligently to find out for ourselves.”  Two weeks ago, Matt and I completed an amazing 48 mile run in Yosemite, we will share pictures and a trip report soon.  It was so enjoyable that it opened my eyes to the idea of running a 100-mile race.  I have thought really hard about whether or not I am ready to run 100 miles.  The only way I am going to know is for me to do it.  On Friday, I registered for the Kodiak 100.  The course traverses the mountains above Big Bear Lake.  The timing is perfect, the terrain is similar to my local trails and it is less than three hours from Idyllwild.  I am excited, motivated, and slightly overwhelmed.  But, I am looking forward to a lot of training, and I feel confident that I will finish.  Over the next ten weeks we are going to increase our efforts to raise money and awareness for Lymphedema.  Once again we are going to ask you, our friends and family to help support us in this mission.  All the money you donate will go to the Lymphatic Education and Research Network.


Tahquitz Peak for J's 2nd Birthday

South Ridge Rock Window on Father's Day
 - Daniel