NGM: Ozarks Highlands Trail

I'm a little behind on my National Geographic reading, but the October 2008 issue has a really interesting article on the Ozarks Highlands Trail. I drove through the Ozarks as I trekked across the United States last summer, but unfortunately did not have any time to stop.

(c) ngm.com

Anyways, the article talks about how the trail was built by a volunteer group, and how it came about in general. There are also some fun facts about trails in general:

• 92% of the US population lives within 35 miles of a trail (up from 16% in 1970!!)
• This year marks (only) the 40th anniversary of the national trails system, which incorporates 1,077 trails totaling more than 66,000 miles (I'm getting tired just reading that).
  

Definitely check it out.

Streaking Again...

So there you have it. I'm streaking again. It's public now, which means that I'm committed (I wouldn't lie to you :)). Not sure whether I can reach my previous record of 282 days, a streak cut short by big root last year. (It turns out that one tendon is not enough to run on; you need four in each foot).

For those of you who don't know what streaking is, it refers to running at least one consecutive mile for as many days in a row as you can. There is even an official club. Some people have streaks going that are decades old, which is nearly impossible to comprehend for me.

Right now, my streak is nothing to write home about. It stands at thirteen. However, it really changed my body last year, especially its ability to recover quickly. That helps in ultras. Which is something else I want to get back into. See you out on the trails!

Fun in the Sun at the Stinson Beach 20k

This past Saturday it happened: I finally got to put on a race number again! The sheer joy of prepping for a race (over-analyzing the race profile, printing out the Google map directions to the race start, etc.) has been missing from my life lately. So, I was happy to drive out to Stinson Beach with my lady this past Saturday to join 500 other runners at the Stinson Beach 12k/20k/30k/50k.

From the Dipsea Trail looking back towards Stinson Beach (photo credit PCTR)

As usual, PC Trail Runs is not skimping on the availability of race distances (rumor has it they're going up to six per race next year and nine per race by 2010), and I was happy to choose the 20k option. My training hasn't taken me past 9 miles since the Redwook 30k over two months ago and this course looked pretty challenging. A 1,500 ft. climb right out of the gates: Good morning!

The green and blue stripes make this appear to be a much easier course than it actually is.

Stinson Beach is at least as beautiful as it sounds. Picture a California beach town and you're probably thinking of Stinson. On my way to check-in, I ran into the always smiling Scott Dunlap, otherwise known as the trail running 'blogfather.' Ok, I just made that up, but it's true. Actually, Scott is one of my heroes. The man continues to improve on the race course year in and year out, is a successful CEO in Silicon Valley, writes the most widely read blog on trail running and, to top it all off, is the father to a beautiful two-year old. And here I am complaining about my crazy schedule in grad school...

Once checked in, I got to say hello to my friend Beat whose girlfriend is actually in my program. Beat is from Switzerland, so he and I share the funky German accent. There were a lot of those (accents) around actually...and that actually didn't surprise me. Lots of Germans take to the trails and compete quite well at the ultra-distances.

After completing pre-race procedures at what might very well be the most scenically located bathroom in the country, someone said my name. And it was Leslie from the Banff Trail Trash blog. (If you haven't checked that one out, you're missing out. It's one of my absolute favorites!) Leslie and her husband Keith were in California for week celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary....running. Yes, they ran all over. Check it out on their blog.

Keith and I (and, yes, I'm still representing GUTS)...photo credit to BTT

Going up the Dipsea Trail...photo credit to BTT

Leslie, Keith and I would start the race together charging up the mythical Dipsea Trail like three little school girls, singing, bouncing and simply just enjoying ourselves. What a day it was! Blue skies, 70 degrees, a light breeze from the ocean. While I sometimes miss my hometrails in Atlanta, I am not going to lie: I feel so very lucky to live in the Bay Area! I LOVE it here!!

The trail was a bit crowded at first, but all the more time to take in the sweeping views, talk to people and breathe the wonderful fall air. Soon enough we were on top of the first hill and the different races went their separate ways.

Some really slippery ladder on the way up...credit Jane with the pic

It took me a while to get to the top (starting from the back can set you back quite a bit) and now it was time to just let it fly! I charged the downhill like there was no tomorrow. Boy, it's been too long! It wasn't my lungs or legs propelling me forward but pure joy!

I would later pay the price for going too fast during the middle section on the final four mile descent, but, oh well, more time to take in the views. Sometimes, I would just stop and stare: can a place really be this beautiful? Trails, ocean and blue skies. Stinson Beach, I'll be back for sure!

As always my thanks go out to the race organizers, Sarah (sorry, I missed you again!) and Wendell, as well as all the great volunteers!

(Any 'rumors' mentioned in this blog entry are, of course, not true)

(I broke yet another camera...butterfingers...hence the 'borrowing' from the internets)

Upcoming Races

It looks like I'll be able to squeeze in at least two more races before the end of the year. Unfortunately, I need to focus on some shorter distances for now. First up, the Stinson Beach 20k. The course profile looks similar to what my local training runs are here in Berkeley. Hopefully, that'll be an advantage.

Looks just like my runs up to Grizzly or Wildcat Peaks

I will close out the year with the Muir Beach 33k on December 13.

Next spring, I'm already signed up for the Santa Cruz Half-Marathon and I'm eyeing a couple of 50ks as well.

Rain? Rain!

I have lived in the Bay Area since late July now. Yesterday was the second time it has rained. The SECOND time! And today was the third time. Apparently, the rainy season has started, since it's supposed to rain three more days.

This morning I took the opportunity to run a little bit in the rain. 9 casual miles in the hills. The countless scents liberated by the rain were permeating the trail. It was beautiful! Makes me miss running in the South a little bit.

Impressions From My New Home Trails

In all this reminiscing about my summer, I haven't really shown the appreciation I have for living in, what I perceive to be, the unofficial trail capital of the U.S.: the SF Bay Area! ("Unofficial" because me saying it, doesn't constitute the correctness of that statement).

So, I finally brought along a camera on a recent run at Tilden Park (up to Wildcat Peak). Enjoy!

Regular ole' trail. Doesn't look like the South at all, does it?

Wildcat Peak...my goal for the day and the highest point in Tilden

more beautiful trail

Eucalyptus trees....there are tons of them here, however they are an invasive species

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the top of Wildcat Peak

The infamous Mt. Diablo lurking not too far away...

Frightening Moment on the Trail

Let me me start this post off by saying one thing: I love animals, and I love dogs. I like to run with them, wrestle them and play with them at any time. Unfortunately a dog was at the center of one scary trail incident this afternoon.

For days, I had been looking forward to this run. My schedule had been built all around it. I even did some studying on a Saturday night just to spend some significant trail time up at Tilden Regional Park this morning. Tilden has a maze of trails and I'm still getting my bearings doing many exploratory runs with a map close by at all times.

About 20 minutes in, I passed by a picnic area with a young couple laying on the ground with what appeared to be a bull terrier...off-leash. Now, bull terriers are so-called fighting dogs and with the wrong owners can be quite dangerous to humans, in particular children. It's up to the owner to raise these dogs carefully and with lots of attention.


So, I'm trying to run by as the dog all of the sudden decides to charge me. Teeth showing, saliva coming out of his mouth, it's running towards me fast. I decide to stop and stand my ground. What was frightening wasn't the dog as much as the owners who looked terrified and just froze. The dog reached me and I could feel his wet mouth brush up against my leg.

Thank goodness, it didn't bite. You could see the sense of relief on the faces of the young couple. One of them came over and removed the dog from my general vicinity. They apologized profusely, and I could tell that they were still in a bit of a shock.

I've had dozens if not hundreds of dogs run towards me or bark at me while out running. They have barked, tried to play and do all sorts of things. But this was different. The wrong dog in a wrong owners' hands can be a dangerous thing. I got lucky.