Mission Peak Trail Runners

Back In The Saddle

2012-01-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

Wow! It's the year 2012 and I have been running regularly since the year 1976. For those of you who are not that good at math, that is 36 years of running. The year 2011 was a turning point in my running. I stopped running for 60 straight days. It's not the 1st time that I've stopped for that long of a period. When I was a young junior high and high school student I rarely ran in the summer during the months of June and July because I needed a break from all the heavy track practices.

I stopped running in 2011 to give my plantar fasciitis a chance to heel. I started wearing the Strassburg sock at night to keep the plantar fascii stretched. I found a great ebook entitled "Plantar Fasciitis Secrets Revealed" and used the techniques to really put an end to this horrible ailment. The plantar fasciitis that once was so bad that I trip the bathroom was a painful experience. Now the pain seem like a thing of the past.

Needless to say, I did not stop my exercise routine. I spent more time in-line skating and started the Beach Body Insanity program. I never knew that I was capable of working out as hard as I did as a freshman and sophomore wrestler. There was nothing ever is hard as a high school wrestling practice until I encountered Insanity.

I am still running on the trails once per week. When I'm on the trail it does not feel like I had ever stopped running. The Insanity program is such an excellent cross training regiment that I may never go back to running as much as I previously did. I sure do miss running for hours and hours. At the same time I realize that I need to work other muscle groups as well.

I tried barefoot running and totally loved it. Unfortunately it irritated my plantar fasciitis so bad that I thought I would never be able to run again. I will never badmouth barefoot running. I think my problem was that I jumped into it way too fast. I already was battling with plantar fasciitis. If I were able to reset the clock and go back 20 years, I would definitely be a full-time barefoot runner. I love the feeling of the road, grass, and trail on my bare feet. I think it's totally healthy and natural. I also understand my limitations and know that my previous injury will not allow it at this time.

Who Are You Running In To?

2011-05-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Several months ago while filling up with water at a local water store, the young attendant, Henry noticed my 5 Finger running shoes. This guy was spot on in his research about barefoot running. I had not really started any barefoot running. I bought the shoes because they were comfortable and I wanted something for doing the Beach Body Insanity work out in.

He was very interesting to talk to. He knew a lot about barefoot running even though he had not attempted it himself. After talking for a few minutes, he offered to let me use barefoot running book by Michael Sandler. It was a great read and he got me fired up about barefoot running.

I am now hooked on barefoot running as it feel so good. I can go cruising through my neighborhood and not even think about what my feet are going to step on. It feels totally normal.

However, I have to clarify this point-running barefoot is not for everyone. If you start cold turkey, you are going to be in a lot of pain. Your calves are going to feel like they have been run over by mountain goats. The bottom of your feet are going to hurt. The skin on the bottom of both my feet actually cracked and bled. It's dry in California too which exasperates the problem.

The bottom line is that if you are 6 years or older, you had better ease into this. Take a year or more. If you can run one minute barefoot, you are doing fine. My first barefoot run lasted maybe 2 minutes. I have never gone further than 40 minutes without foot protection.

I went into this a little too fast. I went from 12 ounce trail running shoes per foot to bare feet. I am back to running for 15 minutes bare foot as I strengthen muscles that have not been used for at least 40 years.

Why Adults Sometimes Are Lousy Coaches For Their Kids

2011-03-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my wife asked me to help her lead a hike for a home schooling group at Garin Regional Park. I was excited about the hike because it was on one of my favorite running trails. This should have been the first clue as to why this was a bad choice. The second clue was that my wife decided to go shopping instead of going on the hike. The 3rd clue was that along with my 2 boys, nobody else showed up at the park to go on the hike. She sent out over 50 emails and expected a huge turn out.

I asked my boys if they were excited about the hike. They both said in unison "No". What? They explained that they would rather do something fun. What could be more fun than hiking on one of my favorite running trails? I live for this stuff.

Well, were sort of stuck in doing the hike. What if somebody showed up? It was my wife's hike, but I was stuck with it. And we were going to finish it. March them kids into submission!

Since nobody showed up so we decided to make the best of it and have some fun. We did have a little fun. I let the kids run through the mud and get their feet dirty. I even suggested that they throw cow pies as I did at their age. My wife is constantly harping on them to stay clean. I gave them free reign to jump on cow pies! They have been a little too stifled and were afraid of throwing cow poop. By the end of the hike, all of us were fairly dirty. I was making a little progress.

I have a hunch that a lot of what we get our kids to do, given the choice, they would not do it. This may include running on a track team, playing soccer, football, or even t-ball.

Just as we were nearing the end of our hike, I noticed some grade school kids running hill repeats for a track club. This did not look fun for adults let alone kids! The jerk blowing the whistle looked like he could barely walk a hill and he had the nerve of blowing the whistle and telling the kids to hurry up. I should have grabbed the whistle from him and made him run up and down that hill. I would bet that the kids would have rather been fishing in the nearby trout pond than running up the blasted hill. I asked my kids if they wanted to sprint up the hill and they just gave me a funny look. An evil thought came to me and I had visions of peppering this b@$tard with cow chips. I am a married man and I am supposed to be civil.

When I was a kid, I played a bunch of sports. Listen clearly. I played. I never said that I practiced. During my grade school years, we had a huge event every year called "Track & Field Days". We did it all from the shot put to the long jump. The teachers made paper ribbons for us and we loved it. We never had a day of practice and it sure was fun. What kid wants to practice sports when he can just play them?

During my t-ball years, I remember our once a week practice and what a drag it was unless the coach just let us play. My father was the coach and he was a driver. We probably only practiced for about 15 minutes and then lost interest. That is when dear old dad let us "scrimmage" as he called it. All we did was divide up into 2 teams and play ball. The games were a blast. My fondest memories were watching parents get kicked out of the game! There was no wiggle room for unruly parents.

So back to my flopped hike. When we finally completed the 90 minute hike, I asked my 2 boys what would have made the hike more fun. They said they would have had a lot fun if kids were on the hike. So much for the male bonding thoughts. They also wanted to do more exploring and go off the trail. They really did not want an organized hike. Too much organization takes the fun out playing. Do you think we should have asked Zachary and Josiah if they wanted to go on a hike? Yes. Did we ask them? No.

So why do I think adults and parents are lousy coaches for kids? Because as parents we so often push our young kids to excel when most of the time they just want to have fun playing. The best memories that I had growing up was not running track or playing hockey on a team. It was catching frogs, riding wheelies on my bicycle, and digging holes in the dirt and sand. My father never coached me on catching frogs or riding wheelies. Our neighborhood pick up games of football, baseball, and capture the flag were more life changing than varsity track or football.

I think I have a lot of "Un-coaching" to do with my boys.

Why walking on goat head thorns are not good for you.

2011-03-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

Last week I decided to strengthen my feet by walking barefoot on gravel. It's supposed to be good for loosening tight and scar tissue damaged muscles. I live near a major rail road track crossing in the Bay Area. Rail road track areas always have a lot of gravel and rocks on each side.

When I arrived at the rail road tracks, I shucked my shoes and started walking. I lasted 2 or 3 steps and quickly hopped back to the road. I stepped on a goat head thorn. These things are nasty. There are tiny ball bearing sized round thorns with a bunch of sharp needle like thorns sticking out. They are hell on bicycle tires. My kids and I get flat tires like clockwork every time we come near a goat head. I was fortunate that the goat head did not puncture my foot.

I cannot figure out why God made goat heads & poisonous snakes. I have been tormented by goat heads for years. They stick to the bottom of running shoes and make a clicking noise on the pavement while I run.

After leaving the goat head infested gravel, I remained barefoot and started running on the road. The longest that I have ever run barefoot is about 3 minutes. My feet have become very tough on the bottom as I have been running in huarache sandals for the past month. I ran for another 25 minutes and it really felt good.

Yesterday, I grabbed my huarache sandals and carried them in hands while I ran around the neighborhood barefoot. I was mindful again of the goat heads. I stay clear of the rail road track area.

What I find so interesting is that I feel like there is less chance of getting any injuries because one has to run light footed. My strides is about half of what it used to be-but much quicker!

I feel like a sneaky cat while I am running unshod. I have scared a few people because they do not hear me coming. I have to be extra careful because them goat head thorns blow off peoples lawns onto the road.

This barefoot running this was sort of an accident. I was getting tired of running in shoes that weighed close to 1 lb each and a friend asked if I ever heard of Vibram 5 Fingers. Nope, never heard of 'em. I looked online and found out that former Olympic marathoner, Mark Sisson wears them. I bought some and then rest is history.

My biggest fear about running shoeless are goat heads and glass.

How To Get Free Running Shoes...

2011-03-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I ran into my old track and cross country friend Tom Stambaugh. He was the kind of runner that you loved to hate! We were running a the 15k Minnesota Masters and my friend Tom had a bad day. He average just under 5 minutes per mile and took a dismal second place. His entire outfit was paid for.

He has been running in free shoes since high school.

So, what my point? If you can run a 15 k under 5 minutes per mile, than you can get sponsored by Nike, Adidas, or just about any decent shoe company.

Guess how many free shoes that I have received from sponsors? Zero. Zip. Nada. My mom bought me running shoes when I was broke and in college. That was after I quit the track team. She must have felt sorry for me.

My free shoe supply has been reduced to my 2 bare feet. I got a free pair of 5 Fingers at REI when I returned my ripped out Vibram 5 Fingers. I wonder if that counts? Maybe I can stretch the truth and impress my friends that I am sponsored by REI.

How to run like a kid again

2011-02-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

As a kid growing up in Minnesota, I ran a few times barefoot in the winter to get the paper. It was only about 30 feet to the paper box and I did this Sundays to retrieve the big newspaper. It was too much trouble to get the heavy boots on. I only would do this when there was no new snow.

After blowing out my Vibram KSO's last week, I was down to running in my barefeet or huarche sandals. It was in the low 30's when I hit the road this morning. Last week my tootsies got cold in the huarches. Solution: Vivobarefoot! Sure beats cold feet.

I read about Terraplana Vivo Barefoot shoes a few weeks ago while researching on better running form. The running training videos at Terra Plana offers are more useful than most running books that I have paid good money for.

I found a 40% off coupon and ordered the Evo II. The Evo looks like a cool racing flat that I would have worn at a track meet or cross country competition. Both shoes weigh less than a pound. There is zero drop between the toe and the heel.

Here is what I liked:

I could still feel the gravel under my feet.
The rocks did not poke through and hurt my heels.
Super lightweight.
Feels like a slipper or moccasin.

Dislikes:

I only ran for an hour so it's hard to find something bad. Usually, if the shoe is not comfortable when I first put it on, then it's "game over". They get shelved or taken back.
The material on the bottom is not Vibram like. It's kind of slipper in the rain. I was afraid of slipping the rail road tracks as I still like to pretend to be a tight rope walker.
The collar needs to be tighter to keep out trail debris.

When I run, I like to be mindless and drift in and out of semiconscious. Maybe more day dreaming. But with my new Evo's and trying to get in tune with my body, I had to think more than usual'

I programmed my Iphone with a free metronome app that teaches me to run at 170 strides per minute pace. I was over striding, causing many injuries. Now, my foot land directly under my body. It's almost like tap dancing. Light and springy!

With minimalist shoes like the Evo ii, you naturally take shorter steps and your form improves without thinking.

Over-all, for an hour run with literally no break in period, they are great! I am thinking that I will be able to log in over a 1000 miles on trails without them falling apart.

The shoes are pricey! $150 retail. Not your typical kids shoe. But you sure will run like a kid again because they are so light.

If you really want to run like a kid, drive up to Tahoe and run 20 feet barefoot in the snow. It will be your first and last barefoot run.

How Not To Improve Your Running

2011-02-19T23:10:00.000-08:00

My racing days are nearly 2 years behind me and I am happy to be in my "love to run" mode. I have read countless articles stating that a runner must have goals and always strive to get better. I raced my best 10k when I was 22 years old. My best marathon at 25 years old. My best mile was when I was 17 years old. Some how this getting better thing does not compute. I have been slowing down for over 30 years. Maybe improvement is relative. I seem to enjoy my runs more. I can run longer than I could when I was 17 years old. I rarely get sore after a run.

Here is my newest training schedule: I run when I feel like it and don't run when I don't feel the desire. My distance goal is to get out the door and do something My time improvements are measured in how fast I can find my running shorts and a clean shirt.

Last night it rained for most of the night and it was cold and sunny when I got out of bed. I did not have too many choices in running shoes since I took my trail running shoes back to REI because I kept on twisting my ankle due to the high lift and my Vibram Five Fingers have an entire side seam blown. The only remaining shoes that I had at my disposal were the huarche sandals. Forty degrees with socks in my running sandals was an odd combination. I gave it try for a half mile and got rid of the socks. My toes never did warm up. I just could not get a comfortable fit with the socks unless I retied the sandals. Too much work for me.

When I glanced up at Mission Peak, I noticed snow at approximately 1700 feet. My thoughts immediately drifted to Rose Peak which on occasion gets light to heavy dusting of snow. I am not brazen enough to attempt sock less, let alone shoe less in snow. I am wimpy when it comes to cold weather. With the sun shining warmly on my face, I was glad that Mission Peak and all it's snow was in my rear view.

I still dream of running sub 3 hour marathons. But in reality, the training would be a nightmare. I think I will stick to my plodding like a turtle and enjoy running for the sites and solitude.

This morning just as I was returning from my hour run, I noticed a man up on a neighbors roof cleaning the dryer vent. I recently lost a brush while attempting to clean my own vent. The tube is 15 feet and I needed someone to climb on the roof and fish it out. I yelled up to him and we agreed on $25. See, even business can be conducted on a run.

I noticed him run to his truck to retrieve the ladder. There was something graceful in his steps. He was at least 55 years old, yet he ran like a kid. I asked him if was a wide receiver back in his days. He smiled with a twinkle in his eyes and said "Yes, how did you know?" I said to him "You still got it!" Climbing a ladder to get on a 20 foot roof was as fun for this former wide receiver as it was for this former half miler to plod on a dirt trail.

Mellow Morning Run

2011-02-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

This morning was a relaxing, mellow, morning run. Our feet hit the pavement at 0540 hours and landed on the dirt at 0610 hours. This dirt was rock hard! We have not had rain for almost a month. The Morrison Canyon ridge trail is just a cattle trail with no gravel and is completely undeveloped. The open range cattle turned what little trail there was into a mini moonscape with hoof size craters all over the trail. I love obstacles.

The trail posted a sign that it was closed until made safe. It looked safe for me, so just like the health care reform bill was deemed "passed" we deemed this trail as "safe".

It was a beautiful sunrise over the entire Bay Area. We could see as far away as San Francisco. Everything was lush and green.

My feet are still adjusting to my Vibrato 5 fingers on the trail. My left heel landed hard on a rock or a hoof crater and was sore all afternoon. VFF are great in the mud and dirt. When you traverse on rocky trails you run the risk of some very painful landings.

Dan and I were noisy and scared most of the wild life away. We get carried away and talk too much. Honestly, the run up Morrison Canyon should be done every so often solo to drink in the wild life. This place is loaded with deer, fox,coyote, hawks, and an occasional mountain lion. At least we scared away the later!

We were plodders this morning. In the afternoon, I can usually hammer out this run in 75 minutes. With all of our talking and enjoying the scenery, we extended this run to the 2 hour mark.

Correct Running Posture

2011-02-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

This was a real shock to me to see an efficient vs inefficient running form. I found this proper running form video on Terra Plana's website. This company makes minimalist shoes. I ordered 2 pairs and they have not arrived. From all the reviews that I have read, they are more minimalist than VFF's (Vibram 5 Fingers).

The training tips on the website are first rate. Please check them out.

I hope this video helps you out as much as it helped me.

Running with cadence (metronome)

2011-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

I am doing everything possible to correct my running form to reduce running injuries caused by bad habits including using a metronome to keep my cadence on track. I read using a metronome that will beep or tick to your foot strikes.   Amazon sells inexpensive metronomes for about $15. Click here if you want to buy the Seiko Metronome, or read on for a free Iphone App.

But really, do I or anyone else really need to buy one? I have dozens of electronic devices scattered throughout my house, car, backpacks, etc.   At work, I carry 2 smart phones...is this dumb or what?

Since I already carry an Iphone, I searched for a free app and found a free Metronome by Stenway & Sons. All I need is a metronome that will change the beats per minute to a pace that works for me. This app will allow you to change it by increments of 1. It's made for musicians which I am not. You can adjust for a 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 beats. I really cannot explain what that means. I use the 2/2 because it gives a different click for each foot strike.

This is how they describe it on their website:
"The Steinway Metronome is a free application that allows musicians to dial in the tempo of the piece they are practicing or just tap along to let the app find it. It allows for customization of time signature, visual indicator, and sound options to user preferences and even the interface can be customized from a wide selection of available "veneers" to match the user's taste or the finish of their instrument.
Early reviews of the app have been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best metronome app available on iTunes (including the metronome apps that are not free)."

The volume is adjustable and will not bother your running buddies. If you have any doubts, then use ear buds. I don't think this is something that you will have to use on all your runs. It's going to train you to use shorter strides. It's like using a heart rate monitor. I have one and rarely use it. I use it to slow my pace down. In the case of the metronome, I will use it to make my strides shorter and steps more frequent.

60 Minute Huarache Run

2011-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

I took my Invisible Shoes (huaraches) out for an hour test run up Morrison Canyon road this afternoon. Just like the website boasts about Invisible Shoes, these shoes are like running barefoot on a 4 mm Vibram surface. It's not much different than running barefoot other than you have a little-and I mean a little bit of protection for your feet.

I am reading "Born To Run" By Christopher McDougall. I am a big reader of all sorts of health books. But come on, running books? I thought I knew so much about running. This guy rips apart conventional wisdom and flushed it down the toilet.

At times, I think I act like invented trail running. Now, I feel like a total dim wit. I bought into the over manufactured shoes for years. When my feet started hurting the most was when I started wearing "trail" shoes. My last pair of trail running shoes felt like they had steel shanks. The bottoms were as tought as a Hummer. 'Bout as heavy too!

Christopher totally exposes the marketing scams of running shoe companies. I bet McDougal will never get a Nike endorsement. I dumped Nike years ago when they kept on doing the bait and switch with my favorite running shoes. Seven years ago, I found an awesome Gortex trail runner that actually kept my feet dry in the winter. I bought two pairs knowing that Nike would stop production without notice.

So, where was I going with all this? My latest shoes look like I stole them off a native jungle man dressed in a loin cloth. Invisible Shoes.

I decided to run up a monster hill on single lane road over looking San Francisco Bay with my home made huaraches.

Were my feet protected? Little. Did they hurt? Just a little. I could feel a little tenderness on the bottom of my fore feet. They felt like I had run barefoot for about 5 minutes on pavement. What the huaraches do for me is allow to me to run barefoot for much longer without damaging my fragile heel pads. I was amazed that I lasted 60 minutes. I had my Vibram 5 Fingers shoes with just for insurance in case I blew out my feet.

Early Morning Trail Run In Huaraches

2011-02-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

My buddy Dan and I packed up our car at 0520 this morning and drove 3 miles to Garin/Dry Creek regional park in Hayward, California. He took one look at my 5 Finger Vibram's that were on the floor next to his feete and gave me a funny look. He said there is not much there to run in.

You should have seen his face when I turned on the light and showed him my feet shod in hand made huaraches that I received in the mail last night from Invisible Shoes.

It was really cold when we entered the deep canyons of this remote park. My bare feet were freezing cold! The gravel on the fire road made things even worse. I felt like I was running on a bed of nails. Fortunately, we found a nice dirt single track trail to run on. Ten minutes into the run, my cold feet could not take it any longer. Dan was surprised when I slipped off my huaraches and slipped on the Vibram 5 Fingers. Lightweight shoes have their advantages!

I was not really prepared for the cold. I had on enough warm clothes on top-a t-shirt, long sleeve thermal, and a light weight wind breaker. Everything below my waist was summer wear including my cold bare feet.

It was a good thing to take it easy in my huaraches and not run too far. As excited as I am about them, I need to be careful so I will not get blisters by the small ropes attached to my feet. I was well prepared for any blisters as I added mole skin in the area wear the rope goes between my toes.

The experience running in huaraches with exception to the cold weather was nothing short of total freedom. I customized my Invisible Shoes to feet like socks on the bottom of my feet. They contoured perfectly to my arches. I am not sure if this is by design or by luck. Whatever. It worked for me! It was just like running barefoot in the play ground. I felt everything. Yes, I felt the sharp gravel rocks, sticks, twigs. I managed to dodge all the cow pies without any splats.

The big question is will my feet get tough enough to run on the Bay Area gravel fire roads? I sure hope so. Three weeks ago, I was thinking the same thing about running in the Vibram's. I felt every rock and pebble. Now it just seems natural and I don't give the trails a second thought.

Garin Regional park is an awesome place for trail runs. There are dozens of miles of trails through various terrain. It's a good place for a quick trail run mid-week after work or for a short Saturday morning workout.

We climbed up very quickly and had a great view of the sun rise over the Bay Area. This place is loaded with wild life. We heard coyote yelping and turkeys gobbling in the deep canyons. Dan had visions of mountain lions jumping us. I told him that we had a better chance seeing mountain lion around Mission Peak. This park is loaded with deer. When I drive by early in the morning or towards sunset, I often see as many as 20 grazing lazily in the open meadows.

Even thought this park is extremely close, I rarely run there because for trail runs, I like to venture out for 5-6 hours in Mission Peak or Ohlone Wilderness Area. This is a "micro" park for ultra runners. It's more like a play ground. Don't let that stop you from visiting this place. You could run 2-3 hour here and not cover the same trail twice. We had no maps of the area and had to guide our selves by the sun, the bay, and some good old fashioned common sense.

Invisible Running Shoes Kit

2011-02-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

I was excited to return home today because I knew that my Invisible Running Shoes kit was in my mail box. My 8 year old son Zachary greeted me at the door and asked if the "Huaraches" had arrived. He was surprised and a little disappointed that the package was so small. How could 3 pairs of sandals fit in 8x11 USP priority mailer? I was curious too. But not dissappointed. They are so light.

The Youtube videos for making the huaraches were fantastic. Steve Sashen does a great job at detailing every step of the way. I disagree on a few of his methods like melting the knot on the bottom of the shoe. I think heating up the rope and melting it together may shorten the life of the rope. Am I petty or what? My other point of contention with Steve is that he suggests to make only 1 template for both the right and left feet unless your feet are noticeably different sizes. The shoes are so easy and fun to make that I opted for a template for each foot. Sorry Steve! I even colored each template a different color as to not confuse them.

Kudos to Steve for telling you that you should really have a leather hole punch. Granted, there are only 3 holes per shoe to cut, the leather punch is necessary. I tried drilling the holes and all the hole did was fill back in! For another $13, I own my own leather punch. Now I can be the defacto Bay Area go to guy for making Huaraches.

Here is a break down of the process.

Make a template for each foot by tracing your foot with a Sharpie pen. I used the fat one. Red & blue
Even out the the template and make the edges rounded.
Mark the 3 rope holes with a Sharpie
Cut out the templates
Tape the templates on to the Vibram block of tread.
Cut out the shoes.
Punch out 6 holes
Thread the rope into the sandals
Tie your Invisible Shoes

It took me about 2 hours including going to the hardware store to purchase a leather punch, talk with a friend at Dale Hardware, taking a shower in between tieing the sandals, and drinking some kombucha tea. I think in reality, my second pair will be completed in about 15 minutes.

Tomorrow morning, I will give them a test run.

Trail Running Nirvana

2011-02-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as my wife was on her way to take my 2 boys to guitar lessons in the Union City hills I asked her if I could drive for her and leave her behind. The guitar lessons are 30 minutes and there is an awesome running trail 2 minutes away in Garin Regional Park. My wife dropped all of us and went shopping. I dropped my 2 boys off and went running!

I have run many times at Garin Regional/Dry Creek Park. It's a fairly small open space preserve compared to the Ohlone Wilderness Area of Sunol & Mission Peak Regional Parks. But its a real gem! Most of the trails are very gentle and can be run by beginners. Since I am running in Vibram 5 Finger shoes, it was a perfect transition from the gravely Alameda Creek trail. Actually, it was much easier since the gravel was not hurting my tender feet.

The trails meander across old bridges, broken down barns, open meadows, and across creeks. The mud felt so good under my feet. I did not have to worry about the mud getting stuck to the bottoms of my 5 fingers since I have "treadless" KSO model. It's tread is more like a Sperry Topsider boat shoe than a beefy trail running shoe. That is the reason why I chose this model over anything else that Vibram makes. And yet I desire something even less aggressive. If it were not for the gravel fire roads, I would have taken the 5 fingers off.

When I mention to people that I am running in the 5 Fingers, I get some strange looks. I was talking with the trail Diva, Catra, of Fremont while shopping at Trader Joe's and she does not have anything positive to mention about these shoes. She said to me that she has seen many people getting injured running barefoot and in Vibram's. While this is truthful, I did not mention to her how many of her shoe clod running friends have running injuries. See my point? Two years ago, I thought barefoot runners were insane!

I will be heading back to Garin Regional Park this Saturday as my feet are not ready for a full blown 2-3 hour trail run up Mission or Rose Peak. Garin should be beautiful to run early in the morning. We usually arrive an hour before sun rise. It's supposed to be in the 70's. It's going to be an awesome spring time run.

My Invisible Shoes (Huaraches) should be in my mail box today. If I can get them made before the run tomorrow, I will be bringing them with too!

Bare Foot Running Transition

2011-01-31T21:37:00.000-08:00

I have been trail running over 2 months regularly in my Vibram 5 Finger KSOs. I originally started with the 5 Finger KSO Treksports, but returned them to REI because both my little toes were hurting. Something was just not working. It may have something to do with the stiffness of the Treksports. It seems like you really do not get a good feel for the road and trail when running in the Treksport model.

However, the Treksports are great for running over rocky terrain such as rail road track beds, broken glass, and other debris that permeates an urban environment.

When I made the switch to the lighter weight KSO, the toe pain went away. I could feel the wet blades of grass while running in the park. I could also feel the sharp gravel stones hurting my poor tender feet on the Alameda Creek trail. After 3 weeks of running in the KSOs, I feel totally normal in them! I can run an hour and fifteen minutes without the calf fatigue that I first felt.

This barefoot style running is really an adventure. Every day is something new. I feel like a baby because I am afraid of stepping on crap...literally!

Since I have been running steady for over 35 years, I am not overly concerned about speed or winning any races. Sub 5 minute miles are thing of my not so recent past. Hard to believe as 17 year old that I ran a 4:37 mile on a cinder track! Anything under 7 minutes feels fast to me. BTW, that was nearly 33 years ago. Bell bottoms were just going out of style. Disco was still in. The Rolling Stones were young and 30ish.

I am not completely sold on Vibram 5 Finger shoes. I really don't like the squished feeling of my tootsies! When I run barefoot in the park, that is total freedom. I was surfing the web last night for more information on proper posture an form for runners. Everything always points back to running barefoot to get the correct bio-mechanics. Barefoot running forces one to run properly or it will hurt!

In my search, I came across the Huarache sandals made popular by Christopher McDougal in his best selling book, "Born To Run". The sandals remind of the Roman sandals worn by soldiers and Jesus!

I got busy and started reading actual user reviews. I said to myself, "I gotta get some of these!" I whipped out my credit card and ordered a pair for myself and 2 for my boys. It cost me only $62 total including shipping. Almost forgot to mention, I ordered the kits to make the sandals myself. It's just rope and a slab of rubber. You cut out the sole to match your own foot. Custom shoes for $25! The shoes will be at my home by this weekend. I look forward to writing about them.

Barefoot Running In The Dark

2010-12-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Over the past 2 months, I have been making the transition from running in shoes that felt like they were made for the abominable snow man to lightweight running shoes that look like they were made for Spider Man. I tossed out my Vasque Blurr trail running shoes and traded them for a pair of Vibram 5 Finger running shoes.

It's been a painful transition as my toe and calf muscles have not had this kind of a work out since I was in junior high school.

On Monday, I carried the 5 Finger shoes and ran barefoot for 3 minutes in the dark on the road. It was an experience trying to feel my way on the black top road. The night was warm and everything smelled so good. I ran past the corn field and could smell the moist black soil. Everything was so still except for the rustling of the fall leaves that crunched under my feet.

After a short period of going sans shoes, I slipped on the Vibram's and ran another 25 minutes over rocks and rail road tracks. I repeated this exercise another 2 times during the week.

On Friday, I walked barefoot with my wife and kids for 20 minutes and then transitioned into the minimalist shoes.

Today, I carried my heavy running shoes while I ran with my toes wiggling in the Vibram's. After nearly 40 minutes of running on the dirt levy, I decided that it was a good time to stop before I felt any pain. I put the heavy running shoes on my feet-14 ounces each! I was missing the freedom and lightness immediately.

The run in the 5 Finger shoes felt totally natural and I did not hurt. Conversely, running in the clod hoppers felt like I was being restricted. I look forward to the day that I can run totally bare!

5 Finger Shoes Trail Run

2010-11-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

Last night before jumping into bed I got all my winter running clothes ready because the mercury was going to dip below freezing. For most people living in US, that is not much of an issue. However, for those of us living in warmer climates like the Bay Area, it's not common.

Earlier during the week I had planned walk on Thanksgiving morning because I injured my left hamstring slightly from doing 50 meter sprints last week. Not that 50 meter sprints are hard if you do them on a regular basis. I have not done any sprinting since 1980-the year that I graduated high school. Most of my track team mates were so sick of interval training that we swore that we would never do them again. I recently started sprinting again because I could complete a hard work out in less than 10 minutes. It's called the path of least resistance or just plain laziness. This works for me!

At 7 AM, just as the sun was starting to warm up the cold night air, I started fitting my tootsies into the glove like 5 Five Finger Shoes. I was getting a little apprehensive about my first trail run in these near barefoot shoes. I was about to go running over rail road tracks, gravel, thorns, rocks, and mud.

The trail was a 5 minute run from my home. I cringed when my feet hit the gravel. I had to sort of tap dance over the rocky terrain. I was immediately flooded with childhood memories of running barefoot. As a youngster, we shucked our shoes on the last day of school and only wore them to church and while mowing the lawn. Other than that, I had no need for them. The first few days were always painful. I grew up on a gravel road and it was tricky to navigate the sharp stones.

I was only planning on a short 30 minute run. After 15 minutes out, I was starting to feel good. My feet were stretching out. I was adjusting to my new found forefoot style of running. This method of running has more bio-mechanical benefits. When you run barefoot, the leading foot lands just below the hip and pushes the body forward rather than pulling it. It's circular motion. You use gravity to your advantage rather than working against it. As long as I was leaning slightly forward (falling), I was in motion like a car rolling on blacktop. My feet were like wheels beneath me. It did not take long to get used to it. Most of became natural because I was landing on the forefoot rather than the heel.

As I was running, I saw a bicycist riding in the opposite direction on the levy. I could see the revolutions of his strokes by the sun reflecting off the rotation peddles. I thought that the bicyclist was a runner because I could not see much beyond the reflecting peddles. The peddling motion was fluid and smooth. It looked just like how a barefoot or five finger runner looks!

This run was not even close to being pain free. I felt a lot of stones jabbing at my tender feet. A few hours after the run, my calves were sore. I don't think that I have used these muscles for years. I was just as sore after this run as I was after a full 26.2 mile marathon!

Will I run with my 5 Finger Shoes again? You bet! I am convinced that most of my running injuries were from over protecting my feet. I never had plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, shin splints, etc when I ran barefoot all summer. I even rode my bicycle barefoot.

Here is the link to Amazon to get the full review of the 5 finger running shoes.

Chi Running|Injury Free @65!

2010-11-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

While picking up some material for my home remodeling project, I ran into my 65 year old trail running buddy Jerry Roninger. I was curious as to why he never has any injuries. He mentioned that he practices Chi running. He really peeked my curiosity since I have been suffering bouts of PF or better known as plantar fasciitis for the past 20 years. It's on and off. While my pain is just a barely noticeable dull throb, I want it to go away completely.

Jerry runs a dozen or so ultra marathons a year. He travels all over the world do run diverse terrain. He is making new PR every year at ultra marathons. Here is his secret:

I immediately went home and started looking at YouTube Videos for Chi running. Check them out. I plan on getting everything made from this company. Look, I have spent thousands of dollars on custom orthotics, special shoes, and all kinds of stupid things that have never helped. Now I have a straight answer. Search the net and you will not find any hype about this company. What you will find are thousands of testimonials on how Chi running has helped people out.

Sensory Trail Run In The Mist

2010-11-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

I went to bed late on Friday thinking that it would be raining too hard on Saturday morning to get a nice trail run in. Never make that assumption! I woke up at 0400 hours feeling quite refreshed. There was only a slight drip-drip noise outside-not the constant pitter patter of rain.

I was excited since I had not been on the Mission Peak trail for 3 weeks. I arrived a little past 0500 hours at Mission Coffee to meet with my running buddy Dan. The stars were twinkling over head. Jupiter was high in the sky facing off with a full moon. Silver steam rose from the ground from the nocturnal showers.

With flashlights on, we progressed up the trail until we were slowed by slippery wet clay. We moved off the main trail to the grass for more traction. I always enjoy obstacles like mud, snow, rocks, and whatever God throws at me. Dan likes things cleaner. He is an engineer and lives a very orderly life despite the fact that he is the father of 8 children.

The sounds, smells, and sights on this run were extraordinary. The moon and the stars gave us a natural light show which was quickly dissipated by an early sun rise which gave way to red pastel wisps of fog and silver clouds blanketing the valleys.

When we crossed the gate at the end of Mill Creek Road, we were amazed at the rapid wing flapping of the native grouse zipping in and out of the trees. Wild turkeys move about the trees and lower grounds but were not as successful as the grouse at rapid movement. Could be the difference between a fifteen pound bird versus a 15 ounce bird?

We were greeted with smells of eucalyptus, bay laurel, anise, and vanilla. Herds of wild turkeys were dilly dallying around on the grassy hill sides. A few male turkeys faced each other in fighting postures. Some made daring assaults only to by blocked by other fighting birds. While all this was going on, 2 deer passed by quietly with no concern for anything except to forage on the grass.

While making our final descent of the trail run down Mill Creek road, Dan explained with some excitement to listen to the present quietness and compare it to the noises that were going to hear once we had a view of the Bay Area. Once we rounded a corner that shrouded the city noises, we were greeted with a wall of buzzing freeway noise, distant train whistles, diesel trucks down shifting, and chain saws ripping through wood. It was barely 0700 hours and we wondered what happened to all of our peace and quiet.

What a reality check! We live in a world with so many noises, it's a wonder that we hear what our children or loved ones say to us. Then maybe we don't.

Running On Rail Road Ties

2010-10-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Late this afternoon after a dip in the pool, I decided to go on an unplanned run. The weather was cooling off from a high of around 90 degrees. I wanted something quick. I laced up my shoes and headed over to the Alameda creek trail and did 10 quick 30 second sprints. I have not attempted any speed since 1980 or so. It was not fast. But I finished my work out in about 10 minutes.

On my return home, I started thinking about what I would have been doing as kid. A young boy would be running in between the rail road tracks on the ties and jumping over the tracks randomly. I gave it a try and it was really fun. It was kind of like running a 6 inch steeple chase. This only added another 5 minutes to my run. Next time, I may try running for 30 minutes on the rail road ties.

My New Trail Running Shoes

2010-10-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes less is better even when it comes to trail running. I have a pair of 5 fingers shoes made by Vibram and very soon I am going to give them a test drive. I have run in just about every type of trail running shoes. Most feel like 2x4's glued to a pair of shoes. I am not going minimalist.

I have only wore them around the house. It's going to take some getting used to. I have to undue the damage of having shoes that are too supportive. It's kind of like wearing a girdle to hide a fat belly. The muscles go limp and eventually exasperate the problem.

I will be blogging about my results in real time when I get the nerve to try them on the trails!

I don't think this is a gimmick. They look like feet. My guess is that the feet God has given us are probably the best things for us. I wonder what Michael Jordan's 5 finger basketball shoes would look like?

Too Much Running Is Not Good

2010-10-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

A few years ago while running a 6 hour run up Rose Peak in the East Bay foot hills I started wondering if the body had some kind of internal fuel supply that is imited.

I am not talking about the Krebs cycle utilization of energy in the form of ATP that is derived from the breakdown of glucose utilized as my energy source. The Krebs cycle is the metabolic pathway within the cells. This pathway chemically converts carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into carbon dioxide, and converts water into serviceable energy.   Do you really care about this science? Not really!

What I was thinking that maybe within humans we have some sort of reserve like melatonin that does not get replenished over time. I am not sure that I have any science to base any of my thoughts on. But what I do think that obsession with anything is not good. While I was and am not obessed with running on daily basis, I was obsessed with my 6 hour Saturday runs.

Over the course of 8 years of continuous long runs every Saturday morning, I started feeling pains like never before. Eventually, I had to limit my running to 3 miles 3 times per week. After a year off of the long runs, I am now able to run for a few hours every Saturday morning.

My buddy Dan and I run real slow. We probably walk about 25% of the time mostly because we are in deep philosophical dialogue and we need the oxygen. We run only on trails with a lot of elevation gain. We are constantly changing our pace and muscles groups to run this tricky trail terrain.

I deeply miss the long trail runs and know that I may get to like that ever again. It's kind of like wishing that I was in high school again.   I can smile at the past and be thankful the present.

What I am most thankful for right now is that I have a future in running. I feel like I cheated the years once again with some common sense.

A good friend that I work with is into the shock treatment types of work outs. He is nearly 50 years old-(me too) and he is the epitome of god like body.   He does not lift weights. He uses his own body weight. I think he is on to something. He is a cop and I bet he never has had to kick anyones @$$ because one look at him makes the criminal lie in the prone position.

I recently started doing the Beach Body Insanity workout. It's total shock treatment to the body because the routine changes every few minutes. While most people have told me that it's extremely difficult, I don't find it a grinder like back in the days when I was the high school wrestling team. However, it's an extremely efficient work out that got me sore in places like my toe muscles!

So what's this all about when I said too much is not good. Yep. I am mixing things up a lot in my exercise program. I walk 5 times a week. I inline skate. I bicycle 4-5 times a week to the BART station-it's a 2 mile round trip. Everything I do is in small amounts. It's mostly for fun.

I never push myself to point of pain. I subscribe to the "More Pain, No Gain" theory.

Running With The Wild Turkeys

2010-09-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do while running the back country trails around Mission Peak is to spot wild life. I have hunch that a lot more wild animals escape my eyes than what I actually see. Most of them critters are spotting me long time before I spot them.

On any given run, we can spot owls, red tail hawks, eagles, coyotes, bob cat, vulture,wild turkey, skunk, raccoon, partridge, fox, and maybe a mountain lion.

My running buddy Dan and I hit the trail at 520 AM. It was a cool 57 degrees. We heard a lot of noises running up Mill Creek road. We usually hear or at least spot some wild turkeys before the first water stop. No cigar. Dan is obsessed with turkeys. He wants to bag one this year with a bow and arrow.

The only noises that we heard were the pesky skunks that wag their rear ends at us. They love to hang out in the water culverts and drop their stinky bombs on us. Thank goodness we did not smell anything close to a skunk today.

My first wild animal spotting was a deer. They are extremely difficult to see at this time of the year as the grass is brown and the deer blend right in. Dan asked me if I was interested in hunting with him. Mmm...possibly. But not during our run.

At around 90 minutes into the run, we spotted some partridges running through the woods. This was making us hungry! It would probably take 3 or 4 of them to service our hunger level.

The trail was rather quiet. We saw a few lone hikers. The sun was rising in in the east with bright blood red colors. It was going to be a hot day. We ran in and out of hot thermal layers.

There were no coyotes or turkeys to be seen in our favorite spots. The turkeys usually hang out near a hidden spring that bubbles out into a tiny stream. Maybe they know that hunting season is around the corner. Since so much private land surrounds the park, they make great targets for the up coming Thanksgiving holiday. We talked about bagging one with a bow.

After nearly 2 hours of running, I mentioned to Dan that the turkeys like to hang out on the hill side near Ohlone College. Sure enough, we spotted a herd of them in the distance. No gobble gobble gobbling. But at least we saw them.

All of this trail running made us hungry. We stopped by our favorite fig tree that we have been ogling for the past 4 weeks. The figs were finally starting to ripen. We ate a few and had to part ways since I promised my wife that I would finish installing the laminate floor in our dining and living rooms.

I arrived home to the loud noises of my two boys and my wife Idy patiently (well, not really) trying to get them ready for an airplane ride. If she had a gun...let's not go there.

They left me right after I showered. I took the liberty to drink a large cup of fresh roasted Tanzania coffee and surf the web for an hour. I kneaded a batch of whole wheat dough to into my traditional Saturday morning cinnamon maple nut rolls. I mentioned to the boys that if they did not return home soon, that I would eat the dozen rolls myself. I scarfed 4 cinnamon rolls all to my self! Nothing beats a high fat and high carb diet.

It's now nearly 830 PM and I am still feeling the high of the morning run. After nearly a year off from running Mission Peak and the East Bay hills, I think I have learned my lesson from over doing the long runs. I don't plan on running the 6-7 runs again. Yes, I definitely miss the long runs. There is so much to see when you get to where not many people can run. It was just wreaking havoc on my poor little feet.

The worst day of running is better than the best day at work.

Return To Trail Running

2010-09-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

I have been on the trail running"beach" for nearly a year. My pain in the heel is like a low grade fever-barely noticeable. I tested the running waters this summer while camping in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

I was planning on a nice 4 mile trail run. The scenery was just incredible with Jackson Lake reflecting the entire Teton range like a water coloring. I was on the signal mountain trail running past tiny lakes and streams. After 30 minutes went by, I thought to myself "just a few more minutes...". After an hour I just gave into my temptation and ran the entire 4 miles up to Signal Mountain. It was about 75 minutes to the summit and and 45 minutes to run back.

There was little if any noticeable increase in my heel pain. I backed off on any long runs for the next week until we made it to Bryce Canyon National Park. We have visited the park at least 4 times in the past 6 years and I always try to get in a decent trail run.

I had all my running things packed and ready to go by 9 PM. At 5:30 AM, I tried sneaking out of our tent without waking up my wife Idy. As I was getting out of the tent, she whispers to me "Be careful honey". Careful? Me? The world's foremost trail running expert! The audacity of her comment!

I was cruising down Fairyland Canyon at a good clip. My first time down this amazing canyon was 30 years ago with 2 of my high school bicycling buddies. We were on a 3 month cross country bicycling trip and we stopped at Bryce for a few days to hike the this strange land filled with hoodos and goblin like structures. It was hard then and equally as hard now.

Just as first light was breaking, I hit a rock and bailed! My flash light which I just turned off flew into a pile of rocks. I landed on my right knee followed by both open palms and rolled onto my back and did a few acrobatic twists (not intentional). Never in my life have I bailed this hard. Not in skiing, bicycling, snow boarding, or anything. I was down for the count!

My first thought was "how am I going to get back?" It was around 600 AM and there was nobody on the trail. I sat on a rock for about 10 minutes eating an orange and trying to move my leg enough to either run or walk. Since I was about half way through the run, I did not have much choice in which way to go: back or forward. What a genius!

I started to walk and gradually my knee felt a little better. It was bloody, swollen and basically looked like hell.

When I returned to camp, like any good husband, I hid my injury from my kids and wife. I wore long pants and hid any evidence of my fall.

Both my kids saw my injury when I got out of the shower and I told them to keep quiet as Mommy said for me to be careful. I was good for the next 4 hours until my youngest told on me! He said that Daddy fell running.

I got to thinking that maybe listening to my wife might have been a good idea. But then again, she did not want me running on that trail that I can hardly resist. I cannot image visiting Bryce Canyon National Park without running on the trails.

I took a few days off running. It's been 5 weeks since I bailed and the knee is almost back to normal. I ran a nice 2 hour trail run this morning with my good friend Dan. It's great to be running again!

Spring Training| Trail Running!

2010-05-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

My enjoyment for running is relative. Two years ago, a "good" run was a 6 hour run in the back country of the east bay foot hills. Today, a "good" run is lacing up my running shoes and running around the block.

I have been plagued with minor plantar fasciitis for at least 2 decades. I have always taken care of it to a certain degree. I wear inserts, do stretches, and ice the painful areas. In the last 6 months, my running has dwindled down to a maintenance program.

For this last bout of PF, I bought some inserts from the Good Feet Store. This is not a knock against the company, but my feet got worse and I developed "pump bump" which is a calcium build up on my right heal. Basically, I am screwed for running anything long. Rather than being bitter, I am happy that I can still run.

I purchased some custom orthotics and hope that this will at least stabilize the problem.

Last week I went on my first long trail run in 6 months and it was like being let out of jail! I was able to see a cute bob cat on the run. This cat was perched on the side of the hill looking real cool at us. Cats are always cool. They act as if they don't have a care in the world. This bob cat was BIG! We thought that maybe it was a mountain lion. From our vantage point, it was hard to tell. It was feline and it was not your garden variety house cat!

Over the past few months, I have been gradually increasing my runs while decreasing my pain. The pain is a constant reminder that I am not greater than God. While at age 48, I think of myself as invincible, my aching heel tells me that I am a mere mortal. This may be my "thorn in the flesh".

This morning I had a beautiful early morning run. The sun was just peeking over the mountains and warming up the ground. It was much later than my usual 5 AM runs. Since my injury, I know sleep in on Saturday's until about 6 AM. See, it's all relative! I even met up with young lady who completed the Oakland Marathon a month ago. She is suffering with PF too. I think most long distance runners over the age of 20 battle with this ailment. Running is very social. I don't try; to get away from people to be alone. In fact, I look for other runners to talk with.

My 2 young boys have gotten used to having me around early Saturday mornings and get excited because Saturday morning is Cinnamon Roll Day. I make home made whole wheat cinnamon rolls every Saturday. When I am out on my hour long run, they sneak down stairs and peek into the oven to see if the rolls are rising. They have gotten so used to it that they can hardly remember me running my hour runs. If I run longer than 1 hour like last Saturday, they ask why I was gone so long.

At the end of the day, I would rather be seen as the husband of my beautiful wife and father of my 2 boys rather than the guy who can run 25 miles.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

2010-03-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

This week I had to revisit methods for Plantar Fasciitis Treatment again. I have been training consistently all year and decided to run the Ohlone Wilderness run last weekend. The 50 kilometers of constantly running up and down for 7 hours took it's toll on my poor aching feet.

I have started by stretching my calf muscles as I lean against a wall. Tonight I will get my tennis balls out and roll them under my arches. I plan on freezing paper cups full of water and using them for an ice massage.

I even brought out my night wraps for me feet that I got at Road Runner Sports. The wraps prevent the heel and ankle from getting fully extended which causes stress and inflammation.

At the moment, the plantar fasciitis is barely noticable. I will do everything that I can to attack it before it gets the best of me. I plan on getting this e-book on Plantar Fasciitis Treatment.

Back In The Saddle Running

2010-03-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

Info

PR: n/a

I: 1,130,000

L: 0

LD: error

I: 82100

Rank: 7

Age: Oct 12, 1999

I: 0

whois

source

Robo: yes

Sitemap: no

Rank: 1447

Price: 1568437

Links: 11|3

Density

My trail running for the past 3 months has been nothing but a bummer until I realized that I should be thankful that I can still run.

I have been suffering from plantar fasciitus and a host of other out of balance injuries. I even had a bout with carpel tunnel syndrome.

A friend of mine who used to be an avid runner turned me on to a book entitled "Pilates For Golf". He used to run until he got hit with all the injuries that I am suffering with. His body was basically out of balance.

He is golfing something like 3 times a week and never complains about anything except a cold from over playing golf and not sleeping enough!

I ordered the book and let me tell you that the stretching is out of this world. When my friend Keith told me that it's the most used book in his 40 some years of existence, I concur! This book really starts with the basic concepts of pilates and walks you through an easy to do routine that will help get your body back into great shape without killing you.

My running has been reduced to 3 times per week on mostly flat unpaved surfaces. I am spending time doing yoga and pilates.

My run this morning was awesome. I ran on the Alameda Creek Trail which has become my bench mark run every Saturday. I met up with a long time runner friend Sue Corrie and 2 of her companions. Let me back track. I literally ran into her friend Gin and did not even know that they were friends. Trail runners are small knit community, so we tend to know just about everyone. When it comes down to it, the best part of running is the association that we keep. We look out for each other and like know about each others families. I feel like I have 2 more people in my extended runner family!

I am looking forward to a great recovery and getting stretched and loose.

Trail Run In The Heat

2009-09-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

I don't think I will complain about cold weather running for a long time. Cold weather running is far easier to prepare for than hot weather running. This week has been Al Gore's dream came true with temps in the 80's all week in the Bay area. Global warming revisited us after a cooling trend. We had a few days above 90. Today felt like 100 or so.

However, I cannot complain about the heat either. It was great starting out our run at 6 AM scantely dressed in a mesh t-shirt and shorts. I had 40 ounces of water and was well hydrated before the run. Mr. Bradley checked the Rose Peak (elevation 3000 ft.) weather station on the net before we left and it was 80 degrees at 530 AM. It reached a high of 94 degrees today.

We ran up Monument and Mission Peak this morning. It probably only reached 93 degrees because of the cooling effect of the Bay.

I went through 60 ounces of water on the run and had to drink at least that much when I arrived at home.

The weather was actually perfect. It probably did not break 70 degrees for our run. There was hardly a breeze. It was beautiful fall weather. Venus was riding high in the sky brightly. The moon was not quite half. We both savored the warm morning knowing that in a week or 2 we would be donning both jackets and gloves. The prospect of an early fall dusting of snow is a good possibility.

Steve and I never have bad runs. Each run has it's special place in time for us. Some are just more epic than others.

Trail Run To Monument Peak

2009-06-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

Today we got to experience the most sunlight ever available for our run until next year because it's almost summer solstice. We hit the trail at 530 AM with no flashlights. It was just Andria and myself this morning. We had 2 cancellations again. This seems to be SOP for our little group of runners. Who can blame anyone for not showing up when we depart at 530 AM!

We really did not have any big plans for our run this morning. I made the decision after being out for an hour to at least run to the horse ranch. We ended up running all the way to Monument Peak in Milipitas. After running to Monument Peak, we ran another 2 miles and accented up Mission Peak. Both of our legs were tired but we decided to take advantage of the nice cool weather and put in a 3 hour run.

Running with only 2 people really has some merits. Andria and I were able to see a very cute little fawn grazing in a small clearing along with 2 doe deer. Later we saw several more deer running through the woods. The big bonus for us was seeing a small pack of coyotes chasing their prey on a nearby hillside. With only 2 of us running we are usually very quiet and do not scare off the wild animals.

The weather was picture book perfect for a summer run. The skies were clear and it was nice and cool-in the 50's. As I have said many times before, there never is a bad day for a trail run. Never had a bad trail run and never will.

How To Get Rid Of Plantar Fasciitis

2009-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I had to do some research again on how to get rid of plantar fasciitis because my right heel started having that sharp pain when I got out of bed in the morning. Just when you think the problem is completely over, it comes back to bite once again!

I started wearing my Pro Tech Arch supports at night. They support the arch and prevent the foot from extending which aggravates plantar fasciitis. The arch supports reduce stress, inflammation and injury to the plantar fascia. I purchased these through Road Runner Sports, a leading authority in running shoes and apparel. For a limited time Get 10% off plus FREE shipping at Road Runner Sports, the World's Largest Running Store!

Additionally, I found a great electronic book that is guaranteed to get rid of plantar fasciitis. The book is titled "Plantar Fasciitis Secrets Revealed".

With this Brand-New System,you will:
Absorb no more expensive medical expenses and bills from podiatrists, specialists or doctors.
Use my exact, one-of-a-kind system to completely rehabilitate your plantar fasciitis and you'll be tapping your toes and hitting the trails in no-time flat.
Completely get rid of your plantar fasciitis, foot pain, heel pain and foot cramps for good
Dissolve your plantar fasciitis and foot pain without using any special equipment or joining a Fitness Center
Strengthening exercises and stretches you can do anywhere (with NO equipment ) that eliminates foot pain!
Discover EXACTLY which muscles in the foot to stretch . . . and which ones are already stretched enough!
Forget hour-long appointments at the podiatrist's office or doctors office! I’ll show you how to get the same results in five minutes at home!
No longer depend on anti-inflammatory pain killers to mask your foot pain, get to the root cause and source of your plantar fasciitis once and for all! Click on the book to order now!

Additionally, please check out my other resources at How To Get Rid Of Plantar Fasciitis and Plantar Fasciitis Treatment.

Run For Fun in the Fog

2009-05-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the pleasure of sleeping in until 630 AM. I am running a trail marathon next weekend and I did not need a long run. It was cold and foggy out this morning which is fine for me since the cool weather is good for the body. My kids were still sleeping and my wife was out of town for a wedding. I was little nervous going for my run with my boys home alone. However, I have been running every Saturday morning since they were born and they have never needed me while sleeping. This morning was no different.

I decided to run up Morrison Canyon. It is by no means a hard run. It's just very steep! The run was only 5 miles.

I am so thankful that I am able to run virtually pain free. Running to me is still fun. It's one of the simple pleasures in life that I look forward to.

There were no turkey or deer this morning. Just me and the fog.

Trail Run To The Old Ranch

2009-04-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my 2 running partners, Nadia and Andria ran to the old ranch behind Mission Peak. We enjoy the trail so much because it really is off the beaten path. There are several old broken down buildings and an old trailer with that has wooden wheels on the spokes. The turn of the century stone fence lines remains. Cows were were walking lazily about in no particular direction. The horses were not there. I always look forward to seeing the horses. There is something nostalgic about seeing horses. It reminds me of all the western movies that I watched as a child.

I have a long 25 + mile run scheduled for this weekend, so we really took it easy. I always seem to be taking it easy. Why run hard if you don't have to? If it was not fun, I would not be running so much.

We ran for about 3 hours. We walked all the major hills. We laughed and talked the entire time.

Quick Trail Run In The Cold

2009-04-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Today was a windy cold day in April. My 8 year old son Josiah asked why it was so cold and windy. I told him California weather in the Bay Area is always unpredictable. A week ago we were enjoying temperatures in the 90's!. My son rides his bicycle beside me on our weekly runs. It's a great bonding time for both of us. My 6 year old son, Zachary was stuck at home because he was fooling around and was not ready. I give them a fair chance to get ready. Our saying is "If you snooze, you loose!"

Today we exercised just to get it done. I bundled up with wind breaker, long sleeve shirt, and winter running gloves. Evey run is fun for me. I don't take rain or cold weather days off. I have all the right running equipment and I make the best out of every situation.

I run because I run! Period

Trail Run To Rose Peak

2009-04-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Before my alarms sounded at 430 AM, I was already wide awake and excited to go on my trail run to Rose Peak. Andria and I arrived at the trail head at 520 AM and were shivering as we donned our jackets to ward off the cold. With flashlights in hand, we headed out in the dark. We decided on the high trail that traverses across a dangerously steep hill. We like running this trail because on the return trip home, we are rewarded with a beautiful bubbling brook shaded by secret garden of trees with hanging moss.

The wind cut right through us the higher we climbed. We were blanketed by a thick layer of fog. It seems like our coldest runs are always in April. Even after sun rise, we had no sight of Rose Peak. After 2 hours of running torturous hills we finally cut through the fog. It was glorious! The sun was shining through a thin layer of fog that highlighted the spring flowers in golden sun shine. The flowers carpeted the hill sides artistically with an array of pastel and bright colors.

We arrived at Rose Peak in just under 3 hours of running. The sky was bright blue. Below us lay Silicon Valley and lots of fog. We drank in the beauty and ate home made organic cacao nib cookies. It was so peaceful. The view is our reward!

We decided on a different running trail for the return trip home. We enjoy varying our routine for trail runs. I like my trail runs to be loops rather than an out and back run. The new running route avoided the monster hill work out and that was just fine for us.

We saw over 30 people enjoying themselves on the return back to our vehicle. It was a mix of back packers and day hikers.

The brook was bubbling in our "secret garden" trail. This is the place that I could sit with a good good book and hot cup of coffee for hours. If it were not for my wife and 2 kids waiting for me at home, I would have lingered longer.

The run was beautiful. 20 miles, at least 3800 feet of vertical climbing, and 5 hours, 30 minutes of running.

Long Distance Trail Running Withdraw Cured!

2009-04-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to jump back into my mountain trail running mode to get my endorphin fix. We started running at 545 AM with long sleeve shirts and gloves. By the time we hit the trail gate at 645 AM, we were getting hot!

It was sunny and warm. The temperature was in the mid 60’s with little or no breeze. Everything was spring green!

I suggested to Andria that we run to the hang glider launch again. We like this run because it’s a 4 hour run with moderate hills and it’s easy on the eyes.

We made it to the hang glider launch in 2 hours and it was easy! The return trip of 2 hours was just as easy. Mission Peak was expectantly crowded as the warm air drew large crowds.

Upon returning to our vehicles I commented on how one of our partners, Sue Corrie has either lost her keys or locked them in her car. I discovered that this was my fate too as my keys were locked in my car. However, I carefully hide a key and zip tied it to a place that is so hard and miserable to get at that I almost could not remove the key.

Run To Boulder Bridge Farm

2009-03-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

I love the rustic names of housing sub divisions. Most of the time they have nothing to do with the name posted on the sign. Boulder Bridge Farm is actually real. It used to belong to the Dayton family that started Target Stores.

There is a beautiful boulder bridge that is the promenade entry way to a lagoon for boat storage. While there is no working farm here, the trails for running are quite nice. It's the executive run. Maybe 3/4 miles of trails. If you happen to be a high rolling executive for these multi million dollar homes, a 3/4 mile run is a luxery.

My run was peaceful and enjoyable.

Trail Run To Sunol In The Dirt

2009-03-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

On Saturday mornings, I usually wake up before my alarm goes off at 4:30 AM because I am so excited to go on my weekend trail run. This morning promptly at 4:25 AM, I woke up feeling very rested and ready to run. I had everything packed up last night except for my camera. I ate a good size bowl of super porridge(millet, oats, rye, amaranth, quinoa, millet,etc) with cultured kifer milk and raisins and a large mug of jasmine green tea.

We had 2 new editions to our running group this morning, Sue Corrie & her dog Rio. She had 1 or 2 cancellations and so did I. It was Sue, Andria, and myself. I changed the route slightly to accommodate Rio. Dogs really don’t like running on a paved road for 4 miles. Neither do I! After approximately 2.5 miles, we hopped the fence and were trail bound in the dirt to Sunol!

It was a clear starry night. Temperature was about 45 degrees. Perfect! We started out with flash lights on and shucked them after a mile. When we hit the trail everything was so green. It was like being in the dales in Ireland. No, I have never been there. It’s my blog so I can write and fake it if I have to. We ran to the top of Mission Peak and saw a spectaculiar sun rise. We did not linger as we were in the running mode.

When ever we get a new addition to our group, I am always leary. The person could either be really slow and mess up our pace or the person could be super fast and kill us! Sue was kind of like a Goldilocks girl. Just right! Andria and I not really training for anything, so we are very flexible. Sue is training for a what seemed like a half dozen races. Been there/done that with kids. God bless my wife for putting up with my 6 hour long training runs.

At the sign in gate to the Ohlone wildnerness we spotted a lone runner. Runners are rare at 6:30 AM anywhere. Practically non existent here. It was Steve Bradley! We ran with him to Sunol. Steve and Sue had never met. Their only connection is an old baby jogger that I gave to Sue 4 years ago. Steve gave it me 8 years ago and I needed to get rid of it. I suggested they become friend on Facebook a few days ago without realizing the baby jogger connection. They live a few streets away from each other in the Niles district of Fremont.

We reached Sunol in 2′15″. That was excellent considering that we ran Mission Peak before running down to Sunol. We took a nice long break and ate dried cherries,apricots, figs, cocoa nibs, nuts, and other running power food.

I have been running for 35 plus years. This may seem like a bragging moment-running is almost like walking now. Trail running seems effortless because we enjoy it so much. Don’t get me wrong, by the time we are finished, I am very tired. When I started ultra running 8 years ago, I would go home and go to bed after a 4 hour run. Now I go home and play floor hockey with kids and walk 3 miles with my wife.

After our 20 minute break at Sunol, we had the monster hill to climb. It’s approximately 1500 vertical feet to climb out of Sunol. I would be lieing if I told you that we ran the entire hill. We walked.

I am a die hard runner. However, I rarely talk about running. It’s kind of a boring topic. Running is a life experience. Each run is different and somewhat philosophical. If I read someone’s blog about how many hill repeats, track work outs, and sprint works, I would be so bored. To each their own. I run the trails to see the beauty of God’s creation. I love the ever changing weather patterns. I get to see deer, cattle, goats, wild turkey, hawks, and occasionally a mountain lion.

Today was very special because I got to run with Andria and Sue. Running is not about running. It’s not glamorous. You stink when you are done. Your muscles get sore. Most of the time you do it alone.

Trail Running With a Splash!

2009-03-01T00:09:00.000-08:00

This week we had a considerable amount of rain in the Bay Area. As a child, I lived for puddles and all the mud associated with rain. Come to think about it, as an adult, I love the mud too! I am a man with a tendency to teeter on the personality of a boy. My 2 boys are not so different.

When we arrived at the Alameda creek trail, my 2 boys asked if they could ride through the mud puddles. My first and only thought was "Of course!" I actually encouraged them to take on the largest, muddiest puddles. I baited them to go through the deepest parts. Both boys made sure that they rode through every puddle at least once. We even made a video of them going through the biggest puddles. I shot dozens of photos of them making a mess with no concern of ruined clothing or bicycles. I was on my weekly run and the entertainment was outstanding!

I was running and did not care to get my running shoes all wet. It's not that I mind being wet. Running shoes tend to stink if they are not dried properly.

When we entered our house after the ride, my wife just about turned blue from all mud. She inspected the boys by walking 360 degrees around them. She was visibly distraught. I quickly herded the boys upstairs into the bathroom to wash all visible evidence of mud off them.

We quietly marched down stairs after our shower and pretended as if nothing happened. As far as the boys were concerned, nothing of the ordinary happened. They were in their element. Mud, dirt, and boys mix just fine. They would have been perfectly happy to go to our Wednesday night church program without a bath and without changing clothes. My wife on the other hand would not allow it. The boys often have to pass her "smell" test. I have to admit that even after they have showered, a blue cheese aroma sometimes permeates their bodies. Boys just don't care that much about washing when they are 6 & 8 years old. Next time I think I will sneak the boys out of the house with all the dirt and mud on them.

Running Memoirs

2009-02-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

This morning was a nostalgic run with Andria and Nadia to the hang glider launch in Milipitas. The hang glider launch is significant because the best runs that I have had with Andria and Nadia have taken us there. I have been running with the girls for nearly 6 years. We are like brothers and sisters now. We tease each other, share food, and tell stories on the trail. We put up with each others quirks just like brothers and sisters. None the less, we do like each other.

One of our regular runners, Izette, was not able to run with us. This brings a little sadness because we miss her company. And of course we know that she is missing the best time of the weekend. She has been known to take long exotic vacations to places Greece, Hawaii, and Europe with her husband Jeepo. She is always ready to run when she returns from circling the globe.

Nadia and I are not training for anything. Running is a means to an end for socializing. A fast pace is not even on the menu. We try to stick with the motto "Time on your feet" as opposed to a fast pace. With trail running, we tend to walk more than run. Those steep hills are impossible to run and it takes more energy!

However, I have put myself into a quandary. I have shed 12 pounds this year and am running so much faster without even realizing it. Don't get me wrong, I am hardly a rabbit. Running with 12 pounds less just makes it much easier to get up those hills. My quandary is that I have put many unsaid expectations with my running friends. I would rather be running with friends that running solo fast.

Since we were running at a moderate pace, I decided to take a lot pictures of us running through the beautiful country side. I started the photo shoot just before we entered the horse ranch.

Trail sign

The horse ranch was incredible. We saw a few dozen horses and I got close enough to almost pet the colts. The grass was fresh and green from the recent rains. The rocks had multi-colored lichen growing on them.

We were able to see several deer run across the hill side. I saw a total of 8 deer on this run. This is not unusual in this remote area.

We arrived at the hang glider launch in approximately 2 hours and thirty minutes. We took several photos over looking Silicon Valley.

Mission Peak was full of people. It seems that on a typical Saturday, several hundred people traverse the mountain. Considering that the population of Silicon Valley is several million people, this is a small number.

We finished the run in just over 4 hours. It really was fun. I feel like the 3 of us have grown up together after so many runs.

Crossing the gate into the horse ranch

Hill Run Up Morrison Canyon

2009-02-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

It was a cold and rainy day. The boys usually tag along with me on my week day runs. I love the quality time with them. Sometimes it's hardly a workout because I am more like a sheep dog chasing the stray sheep. Today was no different. Since it was raining, I thought the boys would stay inside. They eagerly dressed up and were ready to go. Happy Zach was so excited that he forgot to put on his jacket. This delayed our start-again.

As we were crossing the rail road tracks, a strong wind kicked in and blew rain on us. I was a little concerned about getting the boys too much exposure. Plan B kicked in. I deviated from our normal trail run and veered towards the hills for protection from the elements. We ran along Canyon Heights Drive and turned left to the monster hill on Morrison Canyon. I found an old school bus stop bench with an ivy covered trellis for the boys to rest on and eat the sour dough whole wheat raisin bread that I packed for a snack.

I ran one fast hill 1/4 mile and joined up with the boys under the trellis for protection from the rain. I saw three deer grazing on the hill side. I looked for the wild turkey and did not see any.

My boys did not complain at all which is unusual. My kids are far from perfect. They cry, pout, and fight with each other. This run was a little too quiet. It must have been the rain. No wipe outs. No crying. No fighting. No kidding! Amazing!

We were out for about an hour and then came inside for a nice hot meal.

The tables turn as I age. I want to build relationships with my boys. I am not as focused about being number 1 in a running race-not that I won more than a few races in my entire life!

3800 Foot Trail Run Up Rose Peak

2009-02-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

The trail run this morning turned out to be a real bonus. One of our members, princess Nga canceled at the last minute. Originally, I promised to get her back by 10 AM to to our car parked on Mill Creek road. While I am disappointed that she was not able to run, I was able to add an additional 90 minutes to the run.

Since this was winter run, Steve and I loaded up on the all-weather running gear. I had light weight wind jacket, Kelty hydration pack, flash light, gloves, running tights, beanie cap, and lots of food. Steve had this awesome fanny pack that I swear had an extra pair of shoes in it, 2 water bottles, extra long sleeve shirt, lots of food, beanie cap, flashlight, and other running junk that we swear by. I packed my cell phone in hopes of getting a signal-all for not.

We were running on the wet trail by 533 AM and was it ever dark! We were shrouded in by a thick layer of fog and clouds. There were no city lights as this was the real deal in terms of wilderness. Thank goodness for high tech flashlights to illuminate our trail.

The run up to Rose Peak starts somewhere to what I guess at 500 feet. While it's only a 3800 foot peak, the trail to get to that elevation is unforgiving. It's what I call 2 steps up and 1 step down. There was lots of muddy single track to add some fun. Most of the running trail was gravel fire roads. We hit the back pack area in 70 minutes. If we ever felt like quitting, this is the place to quit. We were watching the most spectacular sun rise over the Mission Peak range. The sun was illuminating these giant cumulus cloud that just barely covered the peaks. If you closed your eyes for a even a second, the cloud formations would change. Let's just say that everything was dynamic.

Enter the wilderness. Two more hours of painful running ups and downs. At least we had a view. The sun rise was slow and provided us with a light show that would rival anything that Hollywood could produce. We looked down to the distant mountain range with a 2000 foot gorge that separated us. The oak and bay laurel trees were a dense green. From a distance, it looked like a back drop out of the Sierras.

We ran to the base of Rose Peak in 3 hours. I donned my winter jacket and beanie cap. It was cold. We did not stop at the top to enjoy the view, lolligage, or to eat. Like I said, it was cold. We proceeded immediately to Maggie's half acre for a water and food stop. At this point we lost Andria and Isidalia. Not really. We just sped ahead and they made a u-turn at Rose Peak and started heading back to the car. Steve and I took a short break at Maggie's and ventured to a new running route home through some private ranch property. It cut off this major down hill that we eventually had to climb out of. Steve commented that it was too boring. To me, it was just to steep. The illegal cut off provide awesome views of the front coastal range mountains.

We caught up with Andria and Isidalia just after goat rock. They had at least a mile on us. We ran together to Hawks Roost and then Steve and I bolted to the car. We ran to the car in 54 minutes.

Total run time 5:42. Distance 21 miles.

Green Hills

2009-01-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

It was going to be just another ordinary run up Mission Peak. Alarm goes off at 5 AM. I scramble to get all my gear into the car and drive to Mission Coffee. It's amazing to see all the junk that I assemble for my run-fanny pack, water bottles, flashlight, gloves, hat, food, toilet paper, and cell phone. I remember my high school days where I would get up and just run.

I arrived at the coffee shop a few minutes late and noticed more than the usual amount of people. We had a new guy arrive-Ignacio Vasquez. I did the once over look at him and decided right off that he had the right stuff to run Mission Peak. Runners seem to have this look. We know who "has it" and who does not. Ignacio had the look.

Our crew for the day were Ignacio, Princess Nadia (Nga), and Endura Andria. Andria got her nick name when she did a Google search for an electrolyte tablet product and came up with a "male" enhancer product instead.

Ignacio and I decided to ditch the girls after about a mile and do some male bonding. We found out that we both have a love for the Word of God. We talked about the Bible and theology. It's always fun to meet some one and feel like you have known them all your life.

The peak was windy and some what cold. We stopped to play with a chocolate Labrador. It was a beautiful sight from the peak as the skies were clear and valleys below were layered with fog that resembled frosting on a cake. Ignacio commented how green the hills were. After the winter rains have fallen, the country side becomes a beautiful emerald green. It's quite a contrast from the dull brown hills of just a few weeks ago.

We picked fresh bay leaves on the way down and it reminded Ignacio of his wife and all the spices that she uses to cook. Who says running has to be about running. At times I tend to forget that I am running because I am so absorbed in good conversation or drinking in the beauty of God's creation.

Time

2009-01-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

In the digital age of social networking, I have to slow down and remind myself to keep relationships real and face to face with my family. My wife and kids are part of my network. However, they need face to face time. Can you imagine telling your kids to email you or connect to Facebook for a family outing? I have nieces living across the country and I do connect with them on Facebook because they are thousands of miles away.

: Tunnel Vision

Today, I am going to take my family for a walk around Lake Elizabeth. It's almost 70 degrees outside and we need time together. My wife and I walk while my 2 boys ride their scooters over, through, and around everything. We usually witness at least 4 crashes before we complete the 3 mile loop. My wife and I have time to catch up and talk. My kids get to exercise and explore. I would like to remind my wife to leave her Ipod at home as it's a distraction for good conversation. How do you my most beloved to give me 100% attention? Some things are best left unsaid. She likes to relax with music in the background. I like things quiet.

Making time for our families should not be a chore. I love to get all of us together for play times. After we walk the lake, my boys want to play street hockey. I get right out there with them and play the game. They want to get rough and so do I.

The key is to choose activities that your kids like. If you don't particularly enjoy the activity, just enjoy the moment of watching your kids play. Everyone needs an audience. What my kids enjoy, I enjoy. What I am trying to say is that I enjoy watching them. I realize that each day with them is a gift. When they are 20 years old, they will not be doing the goofy things that they are doing at ages 6 & 8. When they are riding their scooters around the lake, they hide behind bushes or rocks that are almost in full view. As long as they hide their eyes, they think that we cannot see them and so we make a game out of it, pretending that we see the scooters but not them. It is so precious!

Every minute with your children is a gift. Enjoy it because the time not spent with your kids will never come back. Time spent will. You will remember it forever. Chances are they might remember it too, but don't count on it. Children live for today and forget what happened yesterday. They don't hold on to the past. Parents do. When you spend quality time with them, you will live a life with no regrets.

Running For the Gold

2009-01-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

I had a unique run with my 2 boys on the trail today. My oldest son suddenly had this fascination with gold. He found gold to be the most valuable thing on Earth. He was not talking about using gold to buy stuff like us adults. He was talking about making tissue paper out of gold. There were several dams on the levee trail where we run. He asked if a dam could be made out of gold. He suggested making bicycles out of gold. He pondered about making an entire automobile out of gold.

I was really getting into the conversation. I suggested making a complete house of out gold. Josiah said rather than using nails, we could use hot gold glue. What a concept! We came up with a gold inflatable tube. He also wondered what we could use gold dust for. I suggested baking bread or a cake. He did not think that would be very healthy.

Kids have great ideas. I did not want to shoot his ideas down and say that most of them were impossible or impractical. Fifteen years ago people were talking about what a waste the Internet was. Finding a mate online? Impossible! It's great that kids have no ideas that their ideas sound silly to adults.

Running past your limits

2009-01-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

This morning my friend Steve Bradley wanted to add more hills and miles to our previous run. I am always game for increasing my limits. We added over 1000 feet of vertical and 2 miles more than our last run. Andria drove over an hour to get to our starting point. I am not sure if I told her that we were running 18 miles. Sometimes it's better not to mention the distance until after we start because there no turning back!

It was a cool foggy morning. We were running up Mill Creek road by 605 AM. It was very dark and wet. We were not running at any record pace and hit the gate at the end of the road in 59 minutes. The best time that we can remember any of us running is approximately 48 minutes. I put my gloves on at the gate because it was started to get cold. It was sloppy and muddy on the trail. Again, this is part of the fun of trail running. Each run is new and never a carbon copy of any previous run.

The run down to the Sunol wilderness was foggy. At times, visibility was the shoulders of the runner in the lead. We made it to the park just shy of 2 hours. We ran past some dude in a sleeping bag on the concrete floor just outside the outhouse. Better accommodations were in plain view. He was 2 french fries short of a Happy Meal.

Steve and I scarfed down our favorite eats. I had 62% dark chocolate, walnuts, raisins, and almonds. I am not big on the Power Bar type of foods. Most of 'em are so full of sugar and artificial junk. I admit that I carry them for a back up because they have a half life of a million years or so. My favorite trail running food is dried organic sour cherries. I also make these awesome runners cookies with organic buckwheat, dark chocolate, dried apricots, and ground almonds. I lightly sweeten them with maple syrup or organic rapadura. On long runs we crave mostly salty types of foods. I add pink sea salt to my nuts and fruit mix. I usually drink a large cup green tea prior to departure as the water and caffeine fuels my needs. My dream run would be a tall cup of coffee half way through the run with a chunk of gourmet dark chocolate.

After departing Sunol, the real run lay ahead of us. We had over 2100 feet of vertical climbing to get to Mission Peak. This take over an hour and it is very strenuous.

Mission Peak was shrouded in a puffy light fog. It had the consistency of cotton candy. There was not much to see. We were the only ones on the peak.

My legs felt like molasses on the way down. I was stretched past my normal limits. Steve and I were dreaming of hot food and coffee. Andria never talks about food or coffee. She was probably dreaming that it would have been nice to sleep in and not drive 45 miles each way for a run in the fog.

Another great run completed!

A good Samaritan still exists

2009-01-22T08:57:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I had another adventure with my boys on our trail run. My 2 boys are known for their many crashes on their bicycles as I run. I feel like a traffic cop as I try to keep them out of trouble. For the most part, we avoid roads as these 2 boys are dangerous drivers.

The ride started out real good. As we made it close to our half way point, I heard a crash and saw dirt flying in the air. My youngest son had managed to wipe out again without actually hitting anything. A 12 year old boy bicyclist happened to be going in the opposite direction and he stopped to assist my son. I was very touched by this act of kindness. While Zachary was not hurt, it is comforting to know that people will stop and help those in trouble.

I thanked the young boy and told him that he is a very responsible kid.

We stopped for our usual picnic at the duck pond. I ran around the pond as the boys ate there mini picnic.

Tangled chain

2009-01-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Every time I take my 2 boys to ride along with me as I run, some disaster always sets in. Last week, my youngest son Happy Zach collided head on with a bush and did a polish wheelie-this is where the back wheel lifts up and the front wheel stays on the ground. I can remember 5 years ago when my oldest son Josiah was only 3 years old and he ran into a parked car, set the alarm off, panicked and started crying because he thought the police were coming.

My run last Friday was nearly as good. We started the run with a false flat tire. I took the tube out and held it under water and found no leak. This took nearly half an hour to accomplish only to find out the leak was caused by a sticking valve. As we were ready to depart, I found out Josiah did not have any socks on and Happy Zach had only 1 sock. One of them was also missing a bicycle helmet. After the boys got everything together, Zachary discovered that his chain had fallen off the chain ring and was tangled. It took another 5 minutes to get us on the trail.

It was a perfect ride. We rode in 70 degree weather all the way to the track at Mission San Jose with only 1 crash. I ran my 1 mile work out on the track and rounded the boys up for the trip home. There were no skinned elbows or bloody noses. As we started the trip home, both boys darted across the soccer field toward the running track. There was a 6 inch hidden drop off curb to the gravel track. Josiah flew over this and struggled to remain in control only to be thrown off his bicycle as he smashed side ways into the the 6 inch concrete curb on the other side of the track. He flipped off the bicycle into the grass and stood up proud as ever because he was not injured this time. I was happy as I would not be returning home with an injured boy again.

We made it home with no further incidents.

Hang Glider Launch

2009-01-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

I received an email from a running buddy of mine a few days ago to invite me to run to the hang glider launch area just above Ed Levine park in Milpitas. On a good day, it takes 3 1/2 hours to complete the 15-16 mile jaunt. How could I resist this run? It has everything a trail monger loves-3000 feet of vertical gain, lots of ups and downs, spectacular panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, and few people on the trail.

We saddled up at 540 AM. Steve purchased this cool techie flashlight that has several modes. One of the modes is a strobe mode. Great for scaring away mountain lions and angry cows. We started well before sunrise, so a flashlight was needed.

I was able to snap a picture of Steve B running up the trail with the moon setting in the background as the sun was rising. It was a crystal clear day with no fog blanketing the lower valleys.

The trail that we ran is one of the most scenic trails located in our backyard. We run past this old broken down horse ranch. Horses still roam the area and are well cared for. The ruins of a home homesteader remain. A favorite site of mine is the old carriage with wooden wheels.

No trespassing signs abound all over. We take our chances because it is so beautiful. We run on a well private gravel road maintained by a communications company for the hundreds of repeaters and dished spread across the mountains. Cell phone signals are not a problem up here! A few operational ranches surprising still exist up here. I am sure that papa Smith and uncle Wesson rule the area so to speak. We are usually in legal bounds before first light.

We reached the hang glider launch site in 2 hours. Nobody complained about anything. Rare! Steve and I ate a few snacks and drank our water. The girls sipped on their water and chose not to eat.
This is a picture of me at the hang glider launch with Silicon Valley in the back ground. Millions of people behind me and not one of them except for the 4 of us are up here.

We continued over Mission Peak to get a glimpse of the American flag posted at the peak.

We were able to complete the 15 mile run in 4 hours and change. My chronograph stopped at 320. Not that it matters. Miles don't matter either. We got our killer run in while the world was sleeping.

Sparrow Road circa 1980, Minnetonka, MN

2009-01-09T20:58:00.001-08:00

I took a run down memory lane this week. It's was a wet nasty day. I wanted a good hard work and was determined to do something. My legs were still stiff from running 2 humps over Mission Peak. I was almost home and I had to figure something out quick!

Back in the days of high school, our coach would have us run hills on Sparrow Road in Minnetonka. I have not been back to Sparrow road for years. However, the memory of running this horrible hill is burned into my brain forever. Coach Lane, Schmidty, and Hovland would line the team up according to our event. I was a half miler or better known as distance runner. We would have to run this monster 20 times. We had pukers every time we ran this bad boy. Never the distance runners.

Back to reality. It's 2009, not 1980, and I don't run 20 hills. I laced up my shoes and ran the 1.5 miles to Morrison Canyon and ran 4 x 1/4 mile up a monster hill. Each repeat took nearly 3 minutes to complete. My total run was nearly an hour and I was satisfied and tired.

Tomorrow it's the hang glider launch run which traverses 15 miles through the east bay hills.

It's a crying shame!

2009-01-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

t was mid-week and I was excited to take my 2 boys out on the Alameda Creek trail for my run and their bicycle ride. I called them on the phone before lunch time and reminded them to get all their home work completed and to be ready to rock and roll by 350 PM.

I was home by 350 PM and told the boys to saddle up! Both boys were still scrambling to find their Awana workbooks for church on Wednesday evening. My youngest, Happy Zach managed to locate his loaner book. He said that he was never issued the new book. My oldest son, BG could not find his book anywhere. Mommy said that he did not look too hard for it and was caught playing around. Boys!

Zach was ready in a few minutes. I went out back to get his bicycle and discovered that his rear tire was flat again! No problem, I put him on his spare bicycle that was really the size for a 4 year old and Zach is 6.

As Happy Zach and I were leaving, BG came running outside crying. He really wanted to go riding and I wanted him with us. However, that is poor parenting to give in. I told him to be responsible and take better care of his belongings.

Zach and I had a great ride. It was a good relationship building for the 2 of us. We often say to each other "It's just you and me baby!"

I was informed by the Awana director that Happy Zach was given his book 4 weeks ago and lost it just before the Christmas break. He owned it for less than 1 hour before he lost it. Both kids are now short $7 each to pay for their lost books. I don't give the kids a free ride for silly careless mistakes.

Running with the Stars

2009-01-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched Dancing with the Stars? I have to admit that I have been forced to watch it several times with my wife. I watched the episodes with Kristy Yamaguchi so it was not all bad. This morning I had a chance to run with the stars. No, Kristy nor anybody famous that I know of were running on the trail. I am talking about the real stars.

It was a clear, cloudless, starry night. We hit the trail at 5 AM. While ascending the first hill, we were greeted with a falling star. I know that a shooting star is not really a star at all. A "falling star" or a "shooting star" has nothing at all to do with a star! "These amazing streaks of light you can sometimes see in the night sky are caused by tiny bits of dust and rock called meteoroids falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up. The short-lived trail of light the burning meteoroid produces is called a meteor". (This is from NASA)

Who cares as long as what we saw were natural fire works. It's some rocking burning up as it passes through Earth's atmosphere.

As long as we continued to look up into the sky, we could see the shooting stars. It must have been a combination of no moon and a meteorite belt that we were experiencing. I saw no less than 15 shooting stars. One even appeared to explode. As night gave way to dawn, the fireworks show ended.

Up near Mission Peak, the ground was frosty white. It was a picture perfect winter day. Even if it had been rainy, the east bay hills always manage to take my breath away. The sun rise was amazing over the San Francisco Bay Area. The City (San Francisco) had a yellow glow to it as the morning rays descended over it. Visibility was at least 60 miles. Cold nights tend to open visibility possibilities. Mt. Tam loomed ominously in the distance like a sleeping bear.

This mornings run included Dan L., Nadia C., and Andria H.. We had only one cancellation. There were no stars in our group. All of us run because we love to run. Even more important than the run is the time spent together. It's a special slice of time for all of us to run and let loose. We leave the fast pace of Silicon Valley in another compartment. It's not like we can leave it behind. It's more like putting it away in the closet for a while. It's always there. But so is our run!

Above the Fog

2009-01-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

One of the beauties of living in the Bay Area is the ever changing weather. This morning as we were doing the last minute preparations for our first run of the year up Mission Peak, we felt engulfed in a blanket of fog. I changed to my winter gloves and donned my Gortex jacket.

We had 3 cancellations for this run. I only knew of one because I usually never check phone message before a run. Why? Because I know that I will be there. If someone wants to sleep in, it's not my business. We usually do not wait. It was just Andria and me. Andria is one of my favorite training partners because I know that she will always be there and will run at a faster pace. She drives all the way from San Francisco and I have never her heard of her canceling because she was too tired or the alarm clock did not go off. She is my bell weather running friend. I have not asked her if she likes to run with me. She probably complains that I make her run all the hills. I can be so demanding. My wife does not run. Mmm.

By the time we hit our 2.5 mile point, we punched through the fog. Oh how I love this part! The sun was shining and it's golden rays felt like an outdoor patio heater on my cold face. I stripped off my jacket and winter gloves and enjoyed the splendid weather.

The trail was void of any people. There were more cows than people and we did not see any runners. Mission Peak had a few people on the top. Most people were sleeping in on what I consider the best part of the new year. I purposely went to bed early so I could wake up for my run.

I turned on my cell phone when we returned to our vehicles so I could update Andria's number. Two text messages floated in. One was time stamped at 942 AM letting me know that she would not be available for the run this morning. It was 945 AM when I checked the message. The other message was left early in the morning at 230 AM explaining that he stayed up too late.

All of this is fine with me because I know that I showed up. Solo or in a group, I never have a bad run. In my 32 years of consistent running, I would rather run sick, tired, cold, wet, etc., than not run. This is my choice and I don't expect the same thing from others. When you really think about it, why bother running when it is cold and wet, or too hot? Missing a day or two will not hurt any training schedule. It's like missing a meal. The body will still perform. My answer is always the same. I run because I run. Albeit, I run only 3 times a week. This gives me the latitude to pick and choose my training days.

Flat Tire

2008-12-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

Today was an unseasonably warm day in the Bay Area. I was getting excited to run with my shorts and enjoy the sunshine with my 2 boys.

It always takes us about 10 minutes to get everything ready for our adventure. Today was not different. I even pumped up both of the boys tires to give them less rolling resistance-IE faster speed!

We had our first collsion just after we crossed the rail road tracks. I just finished reprimanding Josiah for not watching out for cars. I asked him to take the lead and rear ended his brother. I thought we were doing good since we had only 1 accident in the first 12 minutes.

With no more accidents, I thought we were zipping along quite good until I checked my watch and noticed that we were a good 3 minutes behind schedule at the first timed spot. Warm weather and tires pumped up. What could be the problem?

I reminded the boys to hustle since darkness still happens at 5 PM. We made it to the picnic spot with Happy Zach a good 4 minutes behind us. I asked him what was happening and he said that he was tired. I was confused. Tired from what? Usually they tire me out.

My wife packed at least half a dozen assorted bagels ranging from chocolate chip to cheese. This is the boys favorite part of the entire trip. The boys were not satisfied with eating just one bagel at a time. They managed to bite into every bagel while I ran an extra lap around the pond as they devoured their food. Both of their faces were smeared in chocolate.

I wanted BG to take photos of us, but his hands were covered in chocolate. Boys!!! Happy Zach offered me part of crushed chocolate bar. I politely declined and ate a few remains of the bagels.

As darkness was enveloping us, I told the boys to pack up and leave on the double.

Happy Zach was still dragging behind. I took an extra lap and told the boys to meet me at the gate. When I hit the gate, Zach was struggling up the hill. I asked him what was wrong. He had this sad look on his face. He pointed to his bike and said it was not working. After inspecting the bicycle, I realized that his tire was completely flat. Poor little guy must have been riding a few miles on a half inflated tire.

I had BG bring out the tire repair kit. Both boys were chattering like noisy chipmunks. I explained to them that I needed silence as listened for the leak. Between them talking up a storm and bumping into me, I manged to compete task in 12 minutes. I told my wife that I would be home before dark. It was almost dark and we had 3 1/4 miles to go. Would she notice that we were late again?

We managed the last 3 miles with no wipe outs or flat tires. The hardest part is crossing the rail road tracks. We have to lift each bicycle over the tracks. I have the train schedules memorized. We love to be around the passenger trains as they scream by us filled with people. The boys usually give their arms the whistle pull and the engineer responds with a "toot toot!". We missed both the Amtrak and Ace Train. We made it home.

Frosty Steps

2008-12-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

My wrist watch alarm went off at 520 AM this morning and I was excited for my weekly trek up Mission Peak. I was a little concerned that the 3 princesses would not show up...again. I checked the weather on Rose Peak, elevation 3900 feet, to give me an idea how cold it was. This weather station page is really cool. I get all the stats like average wind speed, dew point, precipitation, relative humidity, etc. The report was great-a calm 31 degrees. This meant it would be even nicer on Mission Peak. Good weather meant that the ladies would be there!

At 610 AM, we flicked on our flashlights and headed up Mill Creek road to get to the trail head. For some stupid reason, we have been running 4 miles to get to the trail head when there is an easy access point at 2.5 miles. The girls say the hill is too steep at this access point. I say bunk! I hopped the gate at mile 2.5 and the girls followed suit since am the defacto trail guide.

The ground was firm and frosty. All the weeks' rain was just a frozen Popsicle. The cows were blocking our trail as usual. I screamed like a monster to clear the path. Mama san cow has been known to charge if she thinks her baby is in danger.

The girls were not so keen on switching terrain. I had ulterior motives for doing so. They were all running so pathetically slow, that I needed to at least push them a little as they walked up the mountain. The trail is much steeper than the road. In my devilish plans, I also added an additional 2 mile detour to punish them for running so slow. One of them is training for a 50 mile race and she needs the additional mileage. I never let them know of my plans until we crossed the trail turn off.

We stopped for water at the base of Mission Peak. I filled my 2 bottles knowing that we were going an extra 2 miles. The girls as usual drank no water because they may have to...ah...well...P! It's nice being a guy.

Mission Peak was in full golden glory for the sunrise. What made the moment for me was an American flag posted on top! I have to bring my camera to capture this. I have been running up the peak since 1993 and have never even thought of posting a flag on top. Who ever did this used plastic zip ties to secure the flag. An engineer no doubt from the many one of the many high tech firms in the valley. I was greeted by a group of Eastern Indians that walk the peak weekly. I used to work with a few of them at Lam Research Corporation in Fremont. When the peak was all quiet, one of the men sang a song in his native tongue Everyone bowed their head. It had some religious significance. I enjoyed the singing. I bid my goodbyes and ran fast track down hill to my ladies.

When we hit the cross roads I announced that we were going down a different way. I got mixed emotions from them. Good thing that I am not married to them. I convinced them it was almost the same distance. I did not lie. As the crow flies, it was the same. Truth be known, I wanted a work out and it was for selfish gain only.

We finished the run in 3 hours and 2 minutes. A stellar performance!

Christmas Morning Run in the Thunderstorm

2008-12-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke rather late-715 AM since I was feeling a little tired this week. It's Christmas morning and I decided to sleep until I was tired of sleeping! I was supposed to run with 3 of my princess running girl friends. They are fair weather runners. Any hint of bad weather and they become ghosts. This morning was a dido of many runs with these princesses of fair weather. It was me and three ghosts.

I headed up Morrison Canyon road and ran past the old Rose Ranch. I am usually greeted by wild turkey and deer as I pass the ranch. The new owner was kind enough to post a turkey and deer crossing sign.

Because it is winter, I had a Gortex jacket draped around my waist just in case it decided to dump on me half way through the run. I had gloves and a runners baseball style cap on to protect me from the elements. At mile post .75, I saw the results of last nights' wind and rain. Rocks and sand had washed out onto the road making it nearly impassable for an automobile. Good news for me because I like the road to myself. At mile 1.25 I spotted 2 deer lurking in the ravine. Their winter coats looked nice and fluffy to protect them from the winter storms. I first thought that they were wild mountain goats! When I reached the top I got slapped in the face with what felt like frozen rain. Why not snow? This stuff hurt. It was cold and windy. My kind of weather. There is something about us die hard runners that embrace bad weather. I think it's some kind of badge of honor that we can relish in. While we don't brag about it, I like knowing that I am probably the only fool out running in bad weather.

My watch must be broken because I was 6 minutes slower than what I logged in on the exact same run on Monday. I know that I have aged since Monday, but not to this extent. I can attribute the slow time to bad weather and holiday laziness. It's Christmas morning and I can run slow if I want. On the flip side, the faster that I run, the sooner I could be home eating a good breakfast and drinking hot coffee!

A lone car passed me on the top. There is another point of entry that allowed this vehicle to tramp on my turf. He was out joy riding too and we gave each other the "cool guy" nod. Guys tend to that. We don't smile. We give each other a stoic nod in the face and waited for each other to glance away. Alpha dog thing.

Forget the alpha dog thing. It started raining cats and dogs and I put my Gortex rain jacket on and ran like a rabbit home. It was a full bore thunderstorm and I wanted hot coffee. Yes, I wimped out. It's Christmas and I was cold and wanted to be inside with my boys and wife.

The turkey were waiting for me at the bottom and they gave me a dirty look as I passed them by. It was as if they were saying "who is this turkey?' If I had my gun (I do) I would have shot one and ate him for lunch!

When I returned home I did not get a hero's welcome. Nobody hardly noticed that I was gone. Only an hour had passed. As I navigated over Lego's, wrapping paper, and other Christmas debris, I ran for the shower.

Ahhh it's Christmas and I am enjoying a cup of fresh roasted Kenya. I ate 3 chunks of Belgium 72% dark chocolate with my morning coffee. I am a hypocrite of sorts. I preach eating healthy and exercise. I do all that. However, I need to offset the good habits with a little bad.

Run hard, eat good, and indulge in the pleasures that God give to us. Merry Christmas

First Snow

2008-12-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

The first snow is finally here! Well, it probably has already snowed somewhere in the Bay Area. However, I saw snow today on my run.

I got a late start on my run because I had a telephone errand to do. I had to run fast. And do I mean fast to get back at last light. I like to time my run so I can see the ACE train roll by. It's a boy thing. I like trains.

I hit my first time spot 45 seconds faster than my fast pace at 12':16". Granted, I have dropped over 10 lbs since October. I am a trim 188 or so pounds. I was 1 minute faster for my second timed spot at 27'. At the mid point of my run I saw the snow. It was glorious. All the east bay mountain peaks were covered in snow. I wanted to be up in the high country the instant that I saw the white magic.

I finished the run in 1:02'49". It was not my fasted time, but dead nuts close to a tie. Best time that I can remember is a 1:03.

I missed the train. I heard the tell tale whistle and viewed the train roll over the bridge in the distance. Memories.

New Moon

2008-12-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

This morning was new moon or least that is what my calibrated eyeballs said. The ground was wet from a nocturnal shower. The stars were dazzling. Most folks were at home snuggling under warm blankets. Us crazy runners were getting our flashlights and winter clothes ready for another trek up Mission Peak.

I saw a shooting star arc over an abandoned garage as I was putting my gloves on. This was a good sign. I am not superstitious. A shooting star is indicative of clear skies. I was dressed in a rain coat. I don't particularly enjoy running in rain. Not that rain has ever stopped me. Clear skies meant a warm sunrise!

Dan Leber, an old running partner of mine joined me for the morning trek as well as the 2 lovely ladies. The Princess Nga called to cancel. Her parakeet had the flu.

I have learned to accept and expect challenges on a run. What fun would it be if everything went perfect. I once told my son that if every day was great we would never even know it because we have nothing to compare it to. God gives us what he gives us. Take it and embrace it. We had challenges on this run. Dan had a volcano brewing in his poor tummy. My hands were cold and numb. The two girls, Isidalia and Andria were having trouble because one of them has asthma.

In the past wehave got sprayed by skunks, nearly bitten by dogs, almost run over by wild pigs, have lost car keys, flashlights, water bottles, locked keys in our cars, forgot running shoes(!), puked, got sun burned, lost, and just about everything that is not supposed to happen.

The run was enjoyable. Dan and I solved world problems. We accept the fact that God is in control and the government is out of control. If we were president...Never mind!

We run because we run. No excuses. No hidden agenda. We run.

It was a glorious run. We made it to the gate in 62 minutes. The gate is our illegal hop over point to enter the park. On a good day we hit the gate in 50 minutes. Dan has not run for 6 months. I can never figure how someone can take 6 months off and run an 11 miler up 2200 feet and not feel winded. I have 32 years of non-stop running and it still is hard.

It was cold and windy on Mission Peak. I took in the view of the entire San Francisco Bay Area. It always looks beautiful from 2517 feet. Clouds roll in and out of the valley floor. I could see San Francisco in the distance. I live in an incredible area with several micro climates. On a cold day it can snow above 1000 feet. If I am hot, I can drive 30 minutes and be in the cool redwood forest. We have nearly 8 million people living in the region, yet I can drive 5 minutes to the trail head and be in a wilderness with mountain lions, fox, coyote, and deer.

We saw no deer or wildlife this morning. We finished our run in 2:30. Any run is a good run.

Gettting Ready

2008-12-12T21:09:00.001-08:00

It's 9 PM and I am itching to go on my run. I have everything laid out the night before. Flashlight is charged and I am ready to go!

Waxing Moon Run

2008-12-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's 6 AM, the flashlights are turned on and we are ready to run up Mission Peak. Even thought I have run this mountain nearly every week for the past 15 years, it always feel like a new experience with some familiarity. Fifteen years ago, our group started running with no flashlights, no rain gear, and probably no sense.

Today, we had on the latest running all weather running apparel, LED flashlights, fanny pack water bottles, and did we ever look good!

The moon was waxing and it was predawn marked by the feint purple blue glow in the sky.
I varied the route today by running on Mill Creek road for only 2 miles. We usually run the road for the first 4 miles because the trail is so steep that we end up walking part of the way. Shortly after we broke off the road, a coyote crossed our path. This guy was "Cool Hand Luke" all the way. Paul Newman would have been proud of this foxy coyote. He walked about 10 feet to our side and did not even give us a second look. The first look was "Don't even think about it pal because you'll be dead!" He was handsome in a rugged sort of way. His tail had auburn highlights. He was not the rangy looking coyote. He was well fed and groomed. He looked like he stopped in every day or so to Super Pets for a shampoo and hair style. A pet coyote? Hardly, because this guy would let no man control him.

At the second water stop, we saw 3 campers making their morning breakfast. I have seen quite a number of campers in the summer, but not so much in the winter. I don't mind cold weather. What gets hard about winter camping is sunset at 5 PM. The park does not allow camp fires. So what do you do for the next 5 hours before bedtime? Got me! I don't know either!

The weather today was absolutely gorgeous-almost as gorgeous as the girls running with me. It felt like a summer morning on the peak. What more could I ask for? Beautiful sunrise, foxy coyote, and two knock-out runner babes! I don't want to let the secret out so I tell everyone that they are actually ugly and I feel sorry for them. I don't want any other guys joining this exclusive club.

I find it odd that people including me are always looking for a material item that will improve our lives. For runners it may be a gps, new led flashlight, or a fancy water bottle. However, the intangibles such as my 2 friends bring more meaning than anything that I can buy.

Mission Peak was glorious this morning. The price of admission was less than a dollar in gas. My legs are not tired and I enjoyed myself.

Mission Peak Trail Runners: Lacking Action

2008-11-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

Mission Peak Trail Runners: Lacking Action

Lacking Action

2008-11-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Who says running has to have lots of action to be considered a great run? I ran my plain old vanilla run up Mission Peak and had a great time because I was with 2 very good friends. I laughed with Nadia and Isidalia. We ran slow. So who really cares? Isidalia said that we are not really training for anything. We are not running to stay in shape. We are not even running because it's fun. Does it really matter why we run? Not really. We run because we want to run. There does not have to be a reason to run.

Why do people to what they do? I am not a genius. But I figured out after having children that people often do things because they want to. Does this sound deep? No.

Have you ever ate a bowl of ice cream and had a conversation with yourself as to why you ate it? I doubt that you even think about the ice cream after you finished a pint of it. Let's be honest. We do things because we want to.

I took a 3 month class in logic in logic. It was the greatest class because I found out that most of us are really not logical at all. The class though, was logical. I am not. Running is not logical. I often am sore after a run. I even get tired.

I run.

Running in the dark

2008-11-20T14:22:00.001-08:00

Winter is rapidly approaching and that means more running in the dark. While many people will stop running because it is unsafe to run in the dark, you can make it safe. Running in the dark can be an exhilarating experience. If you desire quiet, this may be your game!

I carry 2 flashlights on my person in the winter when I know that it is going to be dark. The flashlights are more to be seen rather than to see. When the trail is clear and there is enough ambient light, I prefer to run without a flashlight. I love to see the stars and the moon. If I am out for at least an hour, I have come to expect to expect at least one shooting star to make an appearance across the horizon. I love to see the stars disappear at first light and witness the planets take over the sky until the sun washes them away.

When I am in a known skunk zone, I turn the light on full power. I want these stinky creatures to know that I am getting close! I have been sprayed once and suffice to say it was a very stinky experience. During one of my dark runs, a loud herd of wild pigs brushed by me. Yes, I was scared! LED flashlights were not available and I did not carry a flashlight as the batteries lasted maybe an hour.

When I approach major road crossings, I flick my light on. I have had near misses with bicycles that displayed no lights. Even pedestrians are dangerous if you don't see them.

I completed 2 runs this week on the trail that started out light and ended dark. My 2 boys accompanied me on the runs and we timed the runs to coincide with both freight and passenger trains as they made their journey through scenic Niles Canyon. As the trains passed by, we all yanked our arms up and down to signal to the engineer to blow his whistle. My boys are so thrilled that they can make the trains whistle!

First Time Trail Running

2008-11-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

This is for runners who want to try trail running. It really is so much fun and will enhance your over all running experience.

Do you want to add some fun to your running routine, train different muscle groups, and see something besides the cars
zipping by you? Lace up your running shoes and let's go on an adventure together. Whether you want to start running up mountain trails, desert valleys, river ways, through the woods, or the beach, I can help get you started. You do not have to be an experienced runner
to experience the joys of trail running.

I started running on trails back in 1993 when a good friend suggested that we run Mission Peak located in the Bay Area in California. We were both seasoned vets of flat asphalt running. From our office building in Fremont, we could see Mission Peak rise approximately 2500 feet off the bay. It looked impossible. I had run half dozen marathons, dozens of 10 k races, and hundreds of high school and college races. Surely trail running had to be harder than a marathon. I was wrong. It was one of the most joyful experiences in my running life.

Our first run up the peak was addicting. It was a clear day in June. What I really noticed was the lack of noise. It was so quiet early in the morning. We started out while it was still dark. Gradually, the sun rose
in brilliant red and yellow hues. We saw all kinds of red tail hawks circling in the air. Mission Peak used to be the home to a herd of domestic goats gone wild. We saw them. They had the long hair
and curled horns just like the wild ones!

Fast forward 15 years and I am still running Mission Peak and many other trails in the Bay Area. The goats are gone, the trails are more worn, and there are many more people on the trail. Nevertheless, I can still find the solitude that I so desire on the trails if I start out early.

What started out as a challenge to conquer new running territory has turned out to be a my all time favorite past time. Running no longer seems like a chore or something that I have to do. It is something that I get to do.

I take my 2 boys on flat trail runs and they get to experience the dirt on their bicycles. I have yet to convince my wife on the merits of running. She enjoys the runs when I take our 2 boys with because she gets a few hours to herself.

The first year of running added all kinds of injuries
that were related to me not being careful. I tripped over rocks, stepped in holes, got poison oak. I had a medical doctor tell me to stop running and all my pains would go away. This was not an option for an addicted runner like me! I still get the occasional running pains. Gone are the shin splints, knee pains
, and other sore parts of my body. I took the advice of running sage Jeff Galloway and run injury free.

If you want to start running on the trails, I can offer a few suggestions. When I started running trails 15 years ago, all I brought with me were the clothes and shoes that I had on. No water, no food, no brains. Nowadays, I use a fanny pack
that carries 2 water bottles with extra room for running essentials. Water is just as important as clothing! I keep a light weight pair of running gloves in one of the pockets. I always bring a light weight LED flash light. This comes in very handy for early morning runs in the dark. If you run in the mountains, you need to carry additional clothing. Better to carry more than you need than be cold. I always have a hat. It may be a baseball
visor cap for summer runs or a beanie cap
for winter runs. Head protection is very important in maintaining body temperature. If there is a hint of rain, I carry a light weight rain jacket
. I carry snacks for runs longer than 2 hours. I can write an entire article on sports nutrition. Bring food that easy to digest and high in complex carbohydrates. For winter runs or runs longer than 4 hours, I use small back pack with a water bag in it. Cell phones are great too. I call my wife when I can get a signal.

When you make the transition from pavement to trails, be especially careful of the terrain. Run slower. A small trip can send you head over heals. In my early days, I did not carry a flash light. I tripped so many times. In my early days, I did not carry a flash light. The lack of a flash light caused many pre-dawn injuries. I am fortunate that I did not break any bones. Most injuries happen when you run down hill. Slow down. Trail running is not a race-at least not yet.

I always recommend running in groups when you start out. Trail running can be very lonely. Even if you seek solitude, there is safety in numbers. I have encountered mountain lions twice in the past 8 years and I am happy that I have been with one other person each time. Always let someone know where you are going and when you will return. Even if you run in a group, adhere to this rule. It could save your life.

Some of you may be wondering about trail running shoes. This all depends. I have used trail specific shoes when I run on very hard rocks. I always wear what is comfortable. I want a durable shoe. I want a shoe that will not let dirt or rocks in. There are many excellent companies out there. Road Runner Sports offers 100% comfort satisfaction guarantee. Their staff are usually experienced runners who love to talk shop with you. Check out their free shipping offered to members. Pay a little extra and go with the comfort guarantee. You will not regret this.

Trail Runner Checklist:

* Running shoes
* Comfortable socks
* Water
* Food (gel, energy bars, dried fruit, raw nuts)
* Energy drinks
* Electrolyte replacement for runs longer than 2 hours
* Rain jacket
* Flashlight
* Maps
* Cell phone
* Visor cap
* Beanie cap for cold runs
* Light weight gloves

Shooting Star!

2008-11-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I had 3 bonuses to boast about. The first 2 bonuses were Princess Nadia and Contessa Isidalia. I have not run with either of these gals for over 3 months.

We started our run up Mission Peak at O:dark 100 hours. I had a flashlight on to deter the skunks. While making our ascent up Mission Peak, I notice a bright flash in the eastern sky. It really looked like a comet since it had a long tail. I told the girls to look into the sky and we gazed at the bright light for several seconds until it disappeared behind the mountains. Moments like these are what makes trail running so much fun. One never knows what to expect.

On the way up Mill Creek road, we saw numerous deer. The moon was near full and on the waning side. The sun rose in spectacular crescendo of reds, purples, and pastel blue.

My beautiful wife reprimanded me for not bringing the camera to catch the moments. There will always be a next time in our runs.

Mark

The Colors of Moon Rise

2008-11-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of running simultaneously at sunset and moonrise. The colors were were like an artist's water color palette. I was able to enjoy the pale ivory moon rising over the golden mountains in the east and the pastel pink sun setting in the west. A white blanket of fog wrapped itself around Mission Peak. The fall colors along Alameda Creek in the Niles district ranged from bright red to pastel yellow. The colors in California appear more subtle than Minnesota where I hail from. It Minnesota, the colors change almost overnight after the first freeze. In the Bay Area, the colors creep on us day by day.

My youngest son, Zachary said "Daddy, the sky is pink!" He was enjoying the full moon and the sunset as well. My oldest son Josiah on the other hand was asking me if pirates still wear eye patches. I was too interested in array of colors to give him the full explanation of why pirates do not dress like pirates in the movies, but instead dress like normal people, surf the net, talk on cell phones, and play video games. He thought it would be a good idea if pirates dressed like pirates-then nobody would know that they are pirates because people would think that it is just a costume! Kids can simplify everything. I wish I could think like that.

I ran at a nice easy pace after recovering from a cold. It seems like I am always running at a nice easy pace. When I reflect back to my high school days of running, as long as the race was over 2 miles or greater, it always felt easy to me. I make comparisons to running the 400 meter dash at full speed. I have always said that running the 400 meter dash hurt more than running a marathon. I must admit that recovery time for any race is commensurate with the distance. I believe that I can feel the pain of a marathon for weeks as opposed to minutes for a 400.

I enjoyed the solitude of running on the trail with the balmy fall weather. The kids were noisy, I dodged an occasional dog or bicycle as I watched the colors fade with the sunset. By the time I reached home, I had the LED flashlight turned on. This weekend the weather forecast is for sunny weather with temperatures in the 80's!

In Search of Princess Nadia and Contesa Isidalia

2008-11-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Pssst....I received 3 emails from my missing runners. One of the girls says that she is in Texas running a cattle drive before the winter snow storms. The other 2 girls informed me that they miss me dearly and invited me on a run at 5:30 this Saturday. They may be fraudulent emails. Keep me in your prayers. It may be a plot to kidnap me. I think the kidnappers have 2 of the girls held hostage up near Mission Peak and the kidnappers are trying to lure me into being kidnapped with the girls...not a bad idea!

If I do not post for several days, consider me kidnapped. Send this posting to your nearest FBI agent.

Regards,

Mark

Where are the 4 girls?

2008-11-12T18:28:00.000-08:00

Six years ago I came across 2 very fine looking ladies while on a trail run near Mission San Jose. One was an English native and the other a Vietnamese native. I had to tell my wife that they were very ugly in order for me to continue running with them. Later on our group picked up a petite American born Chinese and a beauty from El Salvador. I was the envy of all my male running friends. My wife even grew fond of them and had them over for a runners tea. My wife is the real champion!

The only trouble now is...THEY ARE MISSING! One moved to Washington state and got married. The other 3 are MIA.

Please help me find the girls! I am offering a reward to anyone who has any knowledge of 3 very lazy girls. They are most likely sleeping in on Saturday mornings. I get no emails or phone calls. I mean we were never exactly dating but I expect at least a text message.

Solo Run Up The Double Peaks

2008-11-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, I made a run up Mount Allison and Mission Peak. As I was running up Mill Creek road to get to the trail head, I became very damp as I was running through a thick fog. The fog lifted by the time I jumped the gate at the end of Mill Creek road.

This was my longest run of the season. It was my first solo run up the peak in months. I miss my running friends. Nevertheless, a solo run is better than not running at all.

There was no wild life to be seen. I think the animals are getting ready for the cold winter and are getting the extra rest that they need.

I was on top of Mission Peak by 8 AM and it was full of people. I talked with Joe Simon, my friend from years ago at Lam Research. It was nice to see a familiar face.

By 8:45, I was in my car heading home for coffee and breakfast. With a double peak run under my belt, I am ready for the wet winter season ahead of me.

Run With The Turkeys, Deer, and Fox

2008-11-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided to vary my routine again by running up Morrison Canyon Road. It's not a trail-but on the other hand, it's not much of a road. It is a paved one lane road flanked on one side by vertical cliffs and the other side by a steep ravine.

As soon as I hit the canyon entrance I was spooked by flock of wild turkeys. They were so loud, that it was like someone saying "boo!" from behind a dark door. I have not run the canyon for several months and I had forgot about the turkeys. After being spooked by the turkeys, I saw movement to my right and was startled by a deer standing statue still next to the side of the road. This was turning out to be a wonderful run and I was only 12 minutes into the routine!

What made the run even better was the solitude of no automobiles zipping by. I did see one at the top of the ridge that over looks San Francisco Bay. People do live up here and need to get home too.

I like the view from the top because I can see the entire Bay Area. On a clear day I can San Francisco, and both the Bay and Golden Gate bridges.

On my way down, I was nearly paralyzed in mid step as I ran right past a kit fox. It was a beautiful fox. It had gray and red hair mixed throughout it's shiny coat. I was about 10 feet away from this little fox and it just stared at me. It was so cute that I wanted to pet it.

The turkeys were making their normal amount of noise at the bottom of the canyon and I was no longer surprised by it.

Even though this road is paved, it is so narrow and remote that it qualifies as a trail to me.

I always carry a flashlight on this run when it is close to dark because there are so many skunks on the road. I have been sprayed before and I don't intend to fall prey to the stinky spray again.

Run in the rain

2008-11-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

It's 2:45 PM and I am getting ready to run in the rain. I ran in a typhoon in the Philippines and it felt really good. The weather was considerably hotter. Today I will run in the cold California rain. The hardest part about running in the rain is drying off the running shoes. It seems like my shoes stay on the moldy side all winter. I have several pairs of shoes so I can properly dry them. I had 1 pair of shoes that were caked in mud for 3 months before I put the hose to them to clean them up.

My boys will not be running with me today. Mommy will keep them dry inside.

I will don my Goretex rain jacket and white runners cap. I am ready to slog through the rain.

Intervals for Trail Runners

2008-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

In all my years of running, I have found that an occasional track work out really helps my trail running. I am a firm believer in varying my work out routine. Last week, my eldest son complained about always riding on the same trail. I told him that we could ride the bicycle trail to Mission San Jose high school.

The first trip to Mission San Jose high school had lots of complications. Josiah had a flat on his front tire. We have 3 bicycles, so I just swapped out bicycles for the kids to ride. However, this meant adjusting the seats and handle bars for both boys since they have grown. After all the adjustments, it would have been easier to repair the flat tire.

It was a balmy 80 degrees. I packed an ice cold drink and my wife made 3 peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat raisin bread. It took us 30 minutes via the trail to get to the high school track. The trail runs around part of Lake Elizabeth. We had to "ford" the rail road tracks to get to the bicycle trail that leads to Mission San Jose high school. The hardest part of this trail run is crossing Driscoll Road which has a concrete center divider. I cannot figure out why the City of Fremont allows this since it is a safety and liability issue to have no cross walk on this trail. There are a middle school and high school located on the trail. I have my kids walk their bicycles across the road when it is clear of cars.

I ran 2 x 1 mile repeats. I have not worked out on the track for nearly a year since I do my high intensity running on Alameda Creek trail. I was slow! I liked the work out so much that I ran it again 5 days later and improved my mile pace by 25 seconds. My goal is to run my mile repeats at a 6'30" pace. I hit 6'46" and felt good.

My boys love riding on this trail because they can ride their bicycles on dirt embankments surrounding the foot ball and soccer fields. I feel at peace because I have a visual on them at all times.

Trail Running for Beginners

2008-10-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Do you want to add some fun to your running routine, train different muscle groups, and see something besides the cars zipping by you? Lace up your running shoes and let’s go on an adventure together. Whether you want to start running up mountain trails, desert valleys, river ways, through the woods, or the beach, I can help get you started. You do not have to be an experienced runner to experience the joys of trail running.

I started running on trails back in 1993 when a good friend suggested that we run Mission Peak located in the Bay Area in California. We were both seasoned vets of flat asphalt running. From our office building in Fremont, we could see Mission Peak rise approximately 2500 feet off the bay. It looked impossible. I had run half dozen marathons, dozens of 10 k races, and hundreds of high school and college races. Surely trail running the mountain the mountain had to be harder than a marathon. I was wrong. It was one of the most joyful experiences in my running life.

Our first run up the peak was addicting. It was a clear day in June. What I really noticed was the lack of noise. It was so quiet early in the morning. We started out while it was still dark. Gradually, the sun rose in brilliant red and yellow hues. We saw all kinds of red tail hawks circling in the air. Mission Peak used to be the home to a herd of domestic goats gone wild. We saw them. They had the long hair and curled horns just like the wild ones!

Fast forward 15 years and I am still running Mission Peak and many other trails in the Bay Area. The goats are gone, the trails are more worn, and there are many more people on the trail. Nevertheless, I can still find the solitude that I so desire on the trails if I start out early.

What started out as a challenge to conquer new running territory has turned out to be a my all time favorite past time. Running no longer seems like a chore or something that I have to do. It is something that I get to do.

I take my 2 boys on flat trail runs and they get to experience the dirt on their bicycles. I have yet to convince my wife on the merits of running. She enjoys the runs when I take our 2 boys with because she gets a few hours to herself.

The first year of running added all kinds of injuries that were related to me not being careful. I tripped over rocks, stepped in holes, got poison oak. I had a medical doctor tell me to stop running and all my pains would go away. This was not an option for an addicted runner like me! I still get the occasional running pains. Gone are the shin splints, knee pains, and other sore parts of my body. I took the advice of running sage Jeff Galloway and run injury free.

If you want to start running on the trails, I can offer a few suggestions. When I started running trails 15 years ago, all I brought with me were the clothes and shoes that I had on. No water, no food, no brains. Nowadays, I use a fanny pack that carries 2 water bottles with extra room for running essentials. Water is just as important as clothing! I keep a light weight pair of running gloves in one of the pockets. I always bring a light weight LED flash light. This comes in very handy for early morning runs in the dark. If you run in the mountains, you need to carry additional clothing. Better to carry more than you need than be cold. I always have a hat. It may be a baseball visor cap for summer runs or a beanie cap for winter runs. Head protection is very important in maintaining body temperature. If there is a hint of rain, I carry a light weight rain jacket. I carry snacks for runs longer than 2 hours. I can write an entire article on sports nutrition. Bring food that easy to digest and high in complex carbohydrates. For winter runs or runs longer than 4 hours, I use small back pack with a water bag in it. Cell phones are great too. I call my wife when I can get a signal.

I always recommend running in groups when you start out. Trail running can be very lonely. Even if you seek solitude, there is safety in numbers. I have encountered mountain lions twice in the past 8 years and I am happy that I have been with one other person each time. Always let someone know where you are going and when you will return. Even if you run in a group, adhere to this rule. It could save your life.

Some of you may be wondering about trail running shoes. This all depends. I have used trail specific shoes when I run on very hard rocks. I always wear what is comfortable. I want a durable shoe. I want a shoe that will not let dirt or rocks in. There are many excellent companies out there. Some offer 100% money back guarantees. Pay a little extra and go with the comfort guarantee. You will not regret this.

Trail Runner Checklist:

Running shoes
Comfortable socks
Water
Food (gel, energy bars, dried fruit, raw nuts)
Electrolyte replacement for runs longer than 2 hours
Rain jacket
Flashlight
Maps
Cell phone
Visor cap
Beanie cap for cold runs
Light weight gloves

Enjoy yourself and share your adventures.

Getting Started in Trail Running

2008-10-27T14:08:00.001-07:00

When you make the transition from pavement to trails, be especially careful of the terrain. Run slower. A small trip can send you head over heals. In my early days, I did not carry a flash light. I tripped so many times. I am fortunate that I did not break any bones. Most injuries happen when you run down hill. Slow down. Trail running is not a race-at least not yet. I always recommend running in groups when you start out. Trail running can be very lonely. Even if you seek solitude, there is safety in numbers. I have encountered mountain lions twice in the past 8 years and I am happy that I have been with one other person each time. Always let someone know where you are going and when you will return. Even if you run in a group, adhere to this rule. It could save your life.

Trail Runner Checklist:

Running shoes

Comfortable socks

Water

Food (gel, energy bars, dried fruit, raw nuts)

Electrolyte replacement for runs longer than 2 hours

Rain jacket

Flashlight

Maps

Cell phone

Visor cap

Beanie cap for cold runs

Light weight gloves

Enjoy yourself and share your adventures.

Quarry Lakes Trail

2008-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

I ran around Quarry Lakes yesterday afternoon. It was a balmy 81 degrees. I loaded up 2 twenty ounce bottles of water for myself and a 32 ounce for my 2 boys. By the time we hit the picnic area for my boys rest stop, we had finished most of the water. It has become so much fun for me to see my boys riding their bicycles like puppies on the dirt trail. They zig and zag back and forth across the trail. Trail of dirt smoke follow them as they push their peddles so hard that the back tire slips.

The season is getting close to coming to end. When the rain comes, the boys will be staying inside.

both boys are complaining now of riding the same route over and over. I try to vary it. I gave them each an alternative to stay at home and work on math problems. Both are not interested in solving math problems.

Fast Pace With Slow Boys

2008-10-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I ran a fast pace with 2 very slow boys. My boys had both caught some sniffles over the weekend. They both wanted to go on the bike ride, or so I thought. It started out hard and only got worse. At mile .75, I noticed my youngest son's rear tire was low. We had to go home, pump up the tire, and test it in a bucket of water for leaks. There were no leaks detected.

At mile 2.0 I noticed that my oldest son was not riding in the lead. I asked him if he was ok and he said that he was tired. At mile 3.0 I saw tears running down his cheeks. I knew that I was in trouble because there was no quick way to get home. I made a decision to get to the picnic table as fast I could to give the boys a 15 minute break.

The break did wonders. They ate their treats, drank lots of water, and were recharged for the way home.

We ran home on the paved section of the trail. I ran at a fast clip chasing the boys. We were able to see the Ace Train going back to Stockton. My boys raised there arm in a "whistle pull" to get the engineer to sound off the horn.

By the time that we returned home, the boys forgot that they were tired.

Mission Peak Trail Runners: New Trail Runner Ascends Mission Peak

2008-10-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Mission Peak Trail Runners: New Trail Runner Ascends Mission Peak

New Trail Runner Ascends Mission Peak

2008-10-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new (possible) trail runner addict. David Haydis joined us for the monster climb up Mission Peak at first light. Our group started out with Steve Bradley, David Haydis, Mark Keeler, & Isidalia DiSalvi. The proverbial cell phone call beeped and one dropped. Several seconds later, we had another casualty and we were down to 3 runners. One of our people made a b line to her bed after the other person pulled the covers over her face and went back to sleep.

Our newest runner admitted that he had never attacked Mission Peak, let alone had really not been training since his last deployment. David had the can do attitude and vowed not to quit.

Mr. Bradley left us at the saddle to the peak and attack Mount Allison for the double peaks. David and I made the climb up Mission Peak to view the glorious sun rise over silicon valley.

We usually see some of the same people on a weekly basis. Al (or Doug) was with his dog doing his usual daily climb. For years we did not know his name, so we called him the "Army Guy" because he often donned Army green fatigues.

David and I made it back to Mission Coffee with a total run time of 2:45. I thought this was fairly good considering it was David's first climb. I know that David has a sub 2 hour time in him after he does more training.

Mission Peak Trail Runners: Alameda Creek Trail

2008-10-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Mission Peak Trail Runners: Alameda Creek Trail

This is a test.

Quarry Lakes Trail @ Last Light

2008-10-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I ran around the Quarry Lakes Trail in Fremont with my 2 boys. It was a hot 85 degrees. We brought 2 twenty ounce bottles of water and 1 twenty-nine ounce bottle of fermented water kifer. Even with all the liquids, we still ran out.

We ran at last light. This is another special time to see the sun setting over the lakes and the Alameda creek trail. I ran into my friends Isidalia and her husband Filipo. They were walking their 2 kids.

My kids needed a long break. I cut the run a little short due to the heat. We rested for 15 minutes and then ran the paved side back to make it easier on the boys.

Tomorrow will be Mission Peak at first light!

Alameda Creek Trail

2008-10-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

I have two wonderful little boys with lots of energy. When I return home from work, they are like little puppies excited to see me. My routine when I arrive home is to usually hit the trail and go for my run. I was feeling a little torn and decided to take my boys on my week day runs down the Alameda Creek trail. I have a nice 9 mile loop with plenty of water and bathroom stops for my boys.

My wife packs the boys back packs with snacks such as home made granola, water kifer, oranges, and anything else to make the boys happy.

The trail starts just after the rail road track crossing over the creek. It's a challenge to get the boys bicycles to cross the tracks. I usually have to lift the bikes safely over the tracks. Once we are on the trail, the fun starts. The boys usually crash 3 or 4 times during the ride. They bump into each other, hit bushes, or just fall. This may sound like I am not an observant parent. Rest assured, this is not the case. The boys fall when they are on the gravel side attempting to do stunts. The gravel side has rocky berms on the fence line. They will ride up the berm and run out of gas-so to speak. I was once a little boy covered with bruises from head to toe. My boys seem to be falling my foot steps!

When we are 3/4 through with the bike ride, I give the boys a 15 minute rest at a picnic table near a pond that I run loops around. I have a visual on them and can safely return. Each loop is 4 minutes. They eat the snack, drink water, and throw rocks at imaginary monsters.

The last leg is my favorite because the wind is at the boys back and they feel invincible. They will always beat me back to Mission Blvd where they are instructed to wait for me. They have a few "secret paths" that they take. Sometimes they hide from me. I love the imaginations of boys. They feel if their eyes are closed, that I cannot see them. What a cool thought!

Trail Running at first light

2008-10-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

I finished running my first trail run of the fall this morning at first light up near Mission Peak in the Bay Area of California. It was cold and windy. I had on a hat, a long sleeve t-shirt, and gloves. I have not had a decent trail run in 2 months since I had been over seas for 5 weeks. It felt so good to be home just for the decent running. I love starting out before sun rise because the color changes are so dramatic. You can see the stars, moon, and planets. It's really night time. I often see "shooting stars". It's hard to believe that the sky can be so black being so close to San Francisco.

I live in the East Bay and I just cannot get enough of trail running. I use an extensive network of trails that is literally hundreds of miles. The terrain is often rocky and can challenge your footwork. Some areas are open and exposed grasslands. My favorite areas to run in the summer are in the cool shaded bay tree hill side draws and canyons. I always grab a handful of bay leaves and roll them in my hands to smell the aromatic bay smell.