Bobocracy: Newhall Running

30-mile slot canyon hike: Buckskin Gulch & Subway

2011-10-23T17:23:00.001-07:00

With sons Rob and Tadd, and friends Greg, Wes and Brant, we hiked from Wire Canyon to Whitehouse on the Paria River (through Buckskin Gulch) on October 21, 2011 and down the Subway in Zion National Park the next day.That makes another 50+ mile week for me. Looking forward to 70 mile weeks as I prepare for the Santa Barbara marathon.

Another 50 mile week

2011-10-17T12:37:00.001-07:00

Ran another 50 mile week last week. Getting ready for the Santa Barbara marathon in November.

Bob's Run today

2011-10-12T11:33:00.001-07:00

Gearing up for the Santa Barbara Marathon and a 25-hour run.

Did 65 plus miles last week.

Today's run.

67 Mile Week including 57 mile heavy backpack trip

2011-07-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

These photos are of the backpacking trip Owen and I did this week with our Boy Scout Troop. We hiked the loop from South Lake to North Lake near Bishop, California, about 56 miles. Climbing buddy Greg organized this; this was his 5th Boy Scout 50-miler he had organized. I have been on his last three.

The first ascent was to Bishop Pass, 11,972 feet. On the descent to our second campsight I realized that I had lost my tent poles and mattress. My mattress was a great thing, it doubled as a chair. But I couldn't live without my tent poles. So, I ran back up a couple of thousand feet to where I thought I lost them and encountered a pair of hikers who had found my tent poles. That was a long day for me.

I gave up my mattress and then cut my son's mattress in half to use as my own. Poor Owen.

The second ascent was to Muir Pass, 11,955 feet. Muir Pass was most difficult because it involved trekking through 6 miles of snow. The snow tripled the crossing time. The crossing required a trek through snow above 11,000 feet for several miles. Some of the climbers we encountered questioned the decision to take 12 and 13-year-olds across this pass, but I was just along for the ride and had no clue. Owen became ill at this altitude; luckily, we had some off-the-shelf stuff to help and some friendly hikers helped us, but it was slow going in unstable snow at 80 degree weather for several miles.

Owen and I had running shoes instead of boots. They were very unstable in the snow and I couldn't kick footholds for the rest. Plus, I had grabbed the wrong running shoes for the trek. They lacked the usual orthotic inserts I require, so I had major footsoreness.

The last ascent was to Piute Pass on the John Muir Trail, 11,423 feet. In the middle of these ascents we descended to about 8500 feet.

We had many water crossings, some rather difficult. The snow pack is unusually heavy as well as the run-off. In one of the water crossings, I was sweeping with Greg at the back. We came to a rapid-filled stream we had to cross. Greg's intelligence had told him that this was the worst crossing and we just had to do it. I couldn't believe the difficulty, but the creek was only about 15 foot wide. So, using the tactics we usually used, I positioned myself in the middle of the swollen stream and then Greg would pass me packs and boys. The first boy was Owen and I had't quite found my footing. Owen was swept off his feet in the crossing and was headed downstream, but because I was standing in the middle, I caught him on the way down. Owen's impact cause me to fall, but very fortunately my back hand caught a boulder under the water and it stopped our downstream progress. Greg screamed at Owen to stand up, which Owen did and lessened the flow with which I had to contend. I got Owen to the other bank and he was pretty upset, but he had the presence of mind to respond to my direction to serve as part of the human chain in the stream for the packs and boys to follow.

I lost seven pounds. The hard way.

Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route July 2011

2011-07-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

On July 8, 2011, son-in-law Casey, friend Greg, friend Jim and I tackled the Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route. We got off to a late start at about 4:15 a.m. The Moutaineer's Route is a popular but unofficial route to the top of Mt. Whitney, with Class 4/5 ascents at times. Much of the way is without any kind of marked trail.

Friend Jim left our group and returned to the trail head about 90 minutes beyond the trail head. He had had a fall recently and did't want to tackle difficult rock climbing. There is a ledge that has some exposed hiking right below Lower Boy Scout Lake. I went back with him through the ledge to make sure he was on he way back safely.

The Route took us past Lower Boy Scout Lake, Upper Boy Scout Lake and then Iceberg Lake. We hit Iceberg Lake at around 10:30 or so. We were going too slowly.

At Iceberg Lake we could see three climbers on the East Buttress. They probably spent the night on the face. Iceberg Lake is at about 12,000 feet. It was frozen solid, unlike a year ago when Tadd, Greg and I did this route. There was lots of slow.

Up the chute we went. Greg might have been slowing at this time and he started showing signs of altitude sickness. Near the top of the chute we put our crampons on. Finally, we made it to the "notch."

I didn't want to do the final ascent up the steep shelf to the summit and I talked the guys into doing some traversing to find an easier way up. We didn't and we got, at least in my mind, rim-rocked on a ledge about 80 feet below the summit plateau.

Greg was feeling sick but we were carrying all of his climbing gear, including his new rope. Greg was able to get us all roped up and he made the final push to the top, setting anchors along the way. Being the weakest vertical climber, and subject to extreme vertigo at times, the guys sent me up first behind Greg. I removed the anchors and Greg belayed me up. I fell once and Greg was there to stop the fall. Over the lip! The bags and Casey followed and we summitted. It was very late in the day.

Down we went; Greg wanted to go back the way we came but I didn't like his looks. But, when we hit the trail summit on the way down (we connect to the main trail from the peak at a place called "Trail Summit" at 13,800 feet) Greg decided to do what looked like a dangerous glissade and so he left us.

But, we were able to meet up at 12,000 feet at Summit Lake or whatever it is called, "Trail Camp." It was now dark. As we started trudging through the snow towards that upper lake, Greg became very sick and fell and gashed his head severely. There was blood everywhere, but Casey had enough smarts to bring some medical supplies. That and duct tape and we bandaged Greg up.

Greg didn't have anything wrong with his brains, it seemed, and he got back on his feet and away we went. We arrived at the trailhead shortly before dawn.

Greg was still in the hospital last I saw. We need him for Mt. Rainier in August.

Santa Clarita Valley 15K challenge

2011-07-07T10:46:00.001-07:00

In the independence day 15K challenge, I came in 18th overall and 2nd in my age group. Got beat by a fellow I see running my favorite Beast, a member of the local running club.

Mt. Whitney 2011 May

2011-05-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

I made a partial climb up the Mountaineer's Route at Whitney with friend Greg and son-in-law Casey. We stopped above Lower Boy Scout Lake to practice crevasse rescue, as the photos show.

Today I was the one lagging behind. Too much of doing nothing for the last few weeks.

No Run

2011-04-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

Almost no running the past five weeks due to work load and I'm about to go into another trial. Packed on 10 pounds during that break! Isn't life wonderful.

28 Miles

2011-03-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

After laying off for a couple of weeks due to work loads, I ran a 28-miler today. I've signed for a 100-miler at the end of the month and had better get ready. (But, I'm supposed to be in trial that day so I'll have a great excuse for not doing it.)

Running in southern California where I live in early March is the greatest. I start the run in the mid-30s and end in close to 75 decrees.

Mt. Baldy Feb 2011

2011-02-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

On February 5, 2011, friend Greg, son-in-law Casey and I made a snow ascent of Mt. Baldy. It wasn't too tough. I finally broke down and bought a pair of hiking boots rather than rely upon my running shoes. I bought a pair of Vasque; since I have only had good luck with Vasque running shoes I thought I'd take the plunge. Boy, was I sorry. Bad blisters. I don't have any luck with the hiking boots.

We foolishly hauled snowshoes up, not needing them, and failed to bring our ice axes which we left in the car. The surface was icy. Casey and I used Yak Trax (cables that string around the shoe), which barely did the trick. Just about everybody else going up and honest-to-goodness crampons and ice axes. We were unable to make some more vertical ascents because we didn't have our gear with us. Coming down the snow got slushy and we could have used the snowshoes we were carrying but we gutted ahead with boot glissades.

The temps were pretty cold at the top and the wind furious. Baldy is southern California's third highest peak.

Twenty mile double ascent of Newhall "Beast"

2011-01-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

This five-mile ascent from 1400 feet to 3500 feet up Newhall's the "Beast" I do all the time, but today is the second time I've done it twice. Ascent up the fire road, descent down Los Pinetos trail, through Placerita Canyon, up the Manzanita Trail, and then up the locally-famous "Viper" trail. The Viper is a very steep single track descent for bikes. I've gone down it once on a bike, tumbling over several times.

Today, weather conditions were perfect. Below 40 degrees all the way, below freezing at the very top. I only needed a few sips of water at the bottom before the second ascent and carried no water.

29 miles in 4:58:00 December 24, 2010

2010-12-24T13:45:00.001-08:00

A great day for running in Southern California -- maybe even too warm. Today I ran over 29 miles in under 5 hours, a pretty good time in hills at my age for a training run with nobody to run against.

This run takes me from my home in Newhall to White's Pass in Canyon Country, a modest little mountain pass. It then drops down into Saugus. I catch Copper Hill Road and then head south near the 18 mile marker on the City's river path trail. That takes me close to the I5 freeway and across my favorite spot in the entire run, an old railroad bridge crossing. I then head south on Tourney and Tournament Roads.

It is a great run because the first 10 miles are flat, running up the Santa Clara River so I can pour it on and wear myself out for the pass ascent right after that.

And, I exceeded 50 miles this week with only three running days!

Triple of Towsley Canyon

2010-12-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

Today I did a triple loop of Towsley Canyon (about 16.2 miles) plus the road round trip there (4 miles). I hit the wall at about 18 miles on the road trip back. I rarely do that any more. I could still be recovering from my 50K last week. Plus it was pushing 80 degrees.

On the last loop I picked up a 30-something woman who was obviously a very seasoned trail runner and we dueled it out for four miles, with me beating her by about ten feet at the trailhead. I thought I might prevail on the downhill where the inexperienced runners fade, but she had obviously been there and done that before. That probably explained why at the end of that loop and on the way hope I collapsed into a shuffle.

A beautiful day to run in southern California. What could be nicer? Hundreds of people on the loop.

December in Santa Clarita

2010-12-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

I'm out for my morning 8-miler. The first two weeks in December are the prettiest in my home town. The leaves are in full color. These eastern trees transplanted to southern California turn in late November and early December. Great days here in Southern California. The best.

Now, back to the torture of the run.

North Face Endurance Challenge, San Francisco 50K

2010-12-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

On December 4, 2010, I ran the North Face 50K Endurance Challenge in West Marin County, California. This is really one of the toughest races I have ever run. The elevation profile tells much of the story.

My time was 7:12.50, or 7 of 17 in my age group of 50 to 59. That time was pretty much a middle of the pack pace, which was 7:22. This was the largest crowd of ultra runners I've ever run with; there were 307 finishers in my race. I finished 155.

We also ran with the much smaller 50 mile and marathon groups. The trails were often crowded.

I did lots a passing in the first 10 miles. From miles 15 -25 I faded and the groups I had been running with left me in the mud. In the last 5 miles when I forced more food into the system I made up a lot of ground and past a couple of dozen, passing about 10 of those alone in the last two miles.

The conditions made the race very difficult. It was raining most of the time and the trails, mostly single-track, were very slick, making the going rather slow for most of the course. At the end of the race my legs were covered in mud all the way up to my shorts. Plus, I hadn't quote broken in my new trail shoes and I was running in my road shoes. I could have used bigger lugs on the tread for this race.

The scenery was fantastic. The race either skirted the coast, with magnificent views of Muir and Stinson beaches, or into the rain forests in the gullies in the little coastal range of mountains along the coast.

Son-in-law Casey ran the marathon with an impressive 5 hour time, considering it took me an additional 2 hours to cover an additional 6+ miles.

As usual, when I'm getting towards the end of the race I think to myself that I'll never run again, but now I am looking forward to the next race, a 50-miler in Orange County.

Santa Barbara Marathon: 3:56:46.8

2010-11-06T17:01:00.001-07:00

Well, I gave it all I could today and still can't approach my 3:40 time eleven months ago, the time I need for Boston. I think I am guilty of not enough preparation, although I've had a couple of 50+ weeks in the past few weeks.

I came in 14th in my age division.

This is a terrific marathon, really, but somewhat disorganized for 2500 runners. Not enough buses. Started 30 minutes late (probably because of the buses). Almost no porta potties along the run.

It seems to be rather level; along the coast from Goleta. Parts of it slowed down the runners; many tight turns. There was about a seven mile jaunt through a park along asphalt trails that were being uprooted by neighboring trees.

Ascent of Mt. Langley

2010-10-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Mt. Langley is 14,042 feet, a few miles south of Mt. Whitney. It is one of the easier fourteeners to climb. However, we made the ascent on October 8 to 9, 2010, after a snowstorm. Friend Greg and son-in-law Casey and I also ascended the somewhat more difficult Old Army Pass route.

YMCA Stair Climb 16:44 and Castaic Triathlon

2010-09-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Friday September 25, 2010 I completed the YMCA Stair Climb in 16:44. The 75 story run was in a very crowded, hot and stuffy stairwell. About 1000 people competed but in the stairwell at any one time were about 70 people. I passed dozens on my way up and was never passed. As the building got narrower at the top the stairwell became narrower and people were grasping both rails, left and right, to ascend. That made passing them tough. At the very last story a young woman refused to let me pass her. I guess she had been passed too many times.

The website has me listed at 30 years old. My law firm was a sponsor and I received a complimentary VIP pass; I guess the HR person who registered me thought I was 30.

The next day I ran the annual Boy Scout Triathlon in Castaic Lake and came in at 1:18:16. The best time was 1:03. My rank can be seen here. It was a swim, mountain bike and run. I was third next to last coming out of the water. My 17-year-old son was one of the earliest out of the water, but I passed him on the bike route about two miles into it. Fortunately I lost only about 3 minutes from my slow water start. Last year I had done a little better in the swim.

I passed forty or fifty on the bike course and about 20 on the run. I ran with two sons, my 15 year old and my 17 year old, Nate and Tadd.

Lone Peak Sept 4, 2010

2010-09-09T06:52:00.001-07:00

On September 4, 2010, I summitted with son Rob Lone Peak on the Wasatch Front. I always wanted to do this peak because it is one of the more spectacular from the valley basin.

The summit of Lone Peak is 11,253 feet. The altitude of the Orson Smith Trailhead in Draper is 4800 feet. So, the altitude gain is quite significant.

What also sets this hike apart from many is that the first part of the ascent gives a wonderful view of the valley floors of both Utah and Salt Lake Counties. During the dark the LDS Draper Temple really stood out.

The second part of the ascent is through what is known as the "Cirque," which is a rock formation you can see in the photos.

Mt. Lovenia August 2010

2010-08-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

In the week of August 16, 2010, brother Dave and his friends Dave, Carl, Brad and Kyle spent six days in the high Uintas.

On Wednesday, we summited Mt. Lovenia, a very remote peak at 13219 feet, Utah's second highest. Few climb it. There is no trail to top and most of the climb was scrambling up wicked boulders and scree. There were a few difficult spots through chimneys; it was so scary to the casual hiker that naturally I took no pictures in the tough spots.

What makes Utah's highest peaks so challenging is the distance from the nearest trailhead. It is a three day hike to get to Lovenia. We started at the West Fork Blacks Fork trailhead, and followed the Class 3 Northwest Ridge of Lovenia to the summit. We then descended into the basin west of Lovenia and circled the south of Lovenia to exit the East Fork Blacks Fork trailhead.

Three of us then did some very difficult trail running from the East Fork to the West Fork across two passes and about 13 miles so that we could get our cars from West Fork and return to pick up our friends at East Fork.

The scenery is fabulous. It was wet and green, in contrast to the Sierras, which are drier. Thursday night we suffered rain and snow at the foot of Squaw pass. An adventure, often a grueling physical challenge, not to be forgotten! Thanks to Dave and friends for inviting me.

Grandson Zane

2010-07-26T12:43:00.001-07:00

My wonderful grandson Zane made it from the hospital where he's been lingering for a week after coming into this world. Congrats to Whitney and Rob. You have a great challenge but there's nobody better than the two of you.

Dad

Mt. Whitney Summit Via Mountaineer's Route July 8, 2010

2010-07-09T21:30:00.001-07:00

On July 8, 2010, I summitted Mt. Whitney on a day hike via the Mountaineer's Route with friend Greg and son Tadd. Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states, at 14, 494 feet.

The Mountaineer's Route is a couloir through a chimney up the to the "Notch" which looks frighteningly steep to ordinary backpackers and hikers. We were equipped with cheap-o running spikes for our running shoes (Greg had crampons) and ice axes. We were going to need them.

We departed at approximately 4:30 a.m. The trail to Iceberg Lake, or the Climbers Trail, leaves the main trail at the very point where Lone Pine Creek crosses the main trail from Whitney Portal. If you cross Lone Pine Creek, you've missed the Climber's Trail.The Climber's Trail is a breathtakingly steep and unofficial trail to Lower Boy Scout, Upper Boy Scout and then Iceberg Lakes. Iceberg Lake is considered a good base camp for the assault on the peak. The Mountaineer's Route begins at Iceberg Lake at 12,200 feet.

The climb up the chimney to approximately 14,000 feet is not for the faint of heart. It is a scramble up a very steep face.

At the notch, there is another couloir to the left, which a chute directly to the summit.

Climbers' guides report that this is a class four ascent, and Tadd and I were certainly intimidated. My pictures show us entering this col; I was too scared to shoot any pictures during the ascent. At several points, and I was very unhappy having to do this, I had to pull myself up to the next rock with no toeholds and no certainty that I could actually hoist my body to the next level. While wondering whether I could actually pull myself up this steep col, I also thought how crazy it was to take my 17-year-old son through this, but he was first through the col and first to hoist himself to the summit's plateau.

We descended through the main trail back to base camp.

Mt. Shasta Summit June 25-26, 2010

2010-06-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

June 25-26 with law partner Andy, son-in-law Casey and friend Greg, I summited Mt. Shasta.

Shasta is a volcanic cone, 14,179 feet high, in California near the Oregon border just off the I-5 Mt. Shasta City exit. In 1877, John Muir wrote an article about summiting Shasta with a surveyor, getting caught in a blizzard and surviving the night lying in hot sulfur springs near the summit.

We rented our gear in Mt. Shasta City – crampons, gaiters, ice axes. What a strange place; it seems the entire city is dedicated to New Age business – crystals, yoga.

We made it to the trailhead by 10:30 a.m. and within one hour had ascended to Horse Camp, a Sierra Club alpine hut, where we loaded up with water. The trail was crowded. Perhaps 200 people were on the mountain at any one time. The ascent to base camp was hot, and we ascended with shorts and short-sleeved shirts. The snow was slushy. It was not necessary to wear crampons for this stretch.

From 2010 June Shasta

Leaving the treeline, we reached base camp, Helen Lake, 41.3888°N 122.21°W, altitude 10,472 feet. We pitched our tents along with 50 others. The most notable feature of Helen Lake’s base camp was the urinal pit. Helen Lake might be a lake when the snow melts, but when we were there it was just a flat spot in the middle of Avalanche Gulch.

Later in the day, the resident ranger gave us a lecture about the summit, its weather and risks, and again more information about the urinal pit. We were advised to make an alpine start, i.e., in the middle of the night, so that the snow would be adequately set for crampon use.

Sleep was difficult. For one thing, the urinal pit was a long slog through slush about 100 yards away. For another thing, few people were really sleeping in tent city, with some leaving at 2:00 a.m.

We arose at 3:00 and left by 4:00. Andy and I had a warm breakfast. I am proud of my accomplishments as a water boiler. One last stop at my favorite site, the urinal pit.

The slope in Avalanche Gulch was much steeper than the day before, but we were leaving with weather in the low 20s and the snow was firm and suitable for crampon use. After an hour or so, we were treated to a lunar eclipse. One of my photos shows the latter parts of the lunar eclipse along with the shadow of the mountain.

We made excellent time. Although Andy told me to go slowly at first, that didn’t last long and all of us passed many climbers, catching up with many of the early risers. We then were faced with a ridge with several chutes, known as Red Banks (approx 13,000 feet) Ascending through the chutes was the steepest; going up was no problem but descending caused me stress. We then ascended Misery Hill, which really was an ascent along the summit's ridge. Cresting Misery Hill put us, again, on a narrow ridge, with the final push to the top. Here we rested on exposed rock face in the sun, waiting for team members to catch up.

A short push put us on the summit, where there was little snow. Walking around on crampons was clumsy, but the view was terrific. We could see several volcanic cones; Mt. McLoughlin to the east and Lassen Peak to the South, to name the ones we could identify.

On to the descent. The snow at the top of Avalanche Gulch was too firm for novices to attempt a glissade, so the crampon work was torture. Finally, the snow softened up and we were able to glissade some. We arrived back at Helen Lake, assembled our gear and returned through blazing heat on top of a blistering snow pack to the trailhead, around 2:00 p.m. or so.

Casey's video.

Atop Mt. San Antonio ("Mt. Baldy") today

2010-06-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

This morning, Deb and I climbed Mt. San Antonio, also known as Mt. Baldy. This was my supposed "acclimation" exercise for my assault/insult of Mt. Shasta in two days. Mt Baldy is about 10,064 feet and the third highest peak in Southern California, behind San Gorgiono Mountain (11,499) and Mt. San Jacinto (10,804).

We left the trailhead around 5:30 and got to the peak around 8:40. The ascent we picked was the Baldy Bowl Trail (Ski Hut Trail), which is a one-way trip of 4.2 miles with a 3900 foot gain. We were lucky to find the trailhead, because there was no trail marker for it as it left a service road up to the ski lifts.

We then descended down the Devil's Backbone trail, which took us through the little ski resort. That involved a descent along a ridge for about 2.0 miles to the top of the ski resort, another 1.3 miles to the Baldy Notch and then an incredibly boring 3.6 miles of service road descent. This is called the "loop." We ran most of the downhill.

This is probably Deb's first peak ascent. I heard a few "are we there yet"s and a false summit didn't help.

Here's our picture at the summit with the gut I can never lose. We are wearing our Boston Marathon shirts.

It was fairly challenging but not so much for a conditioned ultrarunner. Not having done it before, I ended up carrying two liters too many of water and a half a pound too much of food, as well as an unncessary camelpack. However, my internet research reveals a much more challenging 6000 foot ascent starting in Baldy Village near the Village Church. I'll try that soon.

On to Mt. Shasta, in two days. The base at Mt. Shasta is 40 degees warmer than our unsuccessful attempt three weeks ago.

Shasta's Out

2010-06-02T20:55:00.001-07:00

Avalanche danger. Raining in the higher slopes. Drats.

Here's a video. Guess which one is my grandchild?

Preparing for Shasta

2010-05-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

The weather's poor at Shasta. My climb is next week. Today I'm gathering all my gear and finding out once again the two legged little rats in the house have pilfered some of my stuff so I've got to do a little shopping.

Today I made a four-hour run, an ascent of both Manzanita Peak and Magic Mountain. This was my first double ascent with no water. I had not planned to go so long so I didn't have water with me but changed my mind. There's a drinking fountain at the air attack fire station at the top of Magic Mountain.

On my descent I decided to summit an intermediate peak and was surprised to find that the trail gave out right at the peak. I had to bushwhack back down in the middle of tick season.

Looking from Manzanita Peak to Magic Mountain

2010-05-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Mt. Shasta

2010-05-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

OK, I haven't done it yet, but a climb of Mt. Shasta is planned for June 4-6, 2010 with son-in-law Casey, friend Greg, law partner Andy and Los Angeles Superior Court judge friend John.

For almost three weeks I have been battling a bronchial flu, hoiking up right now as I type, and have done NOTHING to prepare for this climb. NOTHING.

We're climbing without guides and relying upon friend Greg, the outdoorsman, who is also a book and research expert for every outing I've been on with him. (When I head out to the great outdoors or a race -- no research, no GPS, and hope for the best.) Also, law partner Andy has summitted many snow-clad peaks. I've done Rainier and acquitted myself well, although it was ten years ago.

Fairytopia: Two Granddaughters

2010-04-24T10:22:00.001-07:00

Boston Marathon

2010-04-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

I completed a bucket list goal of running and completing the Boston Marathon, held Monday April, 19, 2010. I finished 650th in my age division, 14592 overall with a pace of 9:05, or 3:57:51.

Here with Brother Dave, who ran a full half-hour faster, at the family gathering site outside the finish line. I ran this with Valencia friends Frank and Belinda.

There is truly nothing like the Boston Marathon.

To start, there is the qualification. This is the only marathon to require qualification. For many like me, that is the biggest challenge, simply qualifying. I qualified with a 3:40 time (with about 13 seconds to spare) at St. George in 2008 with friends Belinda and Mandy, and qualifications are good for 18 months.

There is the training. Long long running. Oddly, I ran Death Valley in December 2010 with little training and ran a 3:41; here, I spent weeks and miles and couldn't break 3:50 let alone 3:40.

There are the logistics. Getting there, getting a hotel room, getting on the bus in downtown Boston with tens of thousand of people, getting to the start, hanging out in the cold for two or three hours.

There is the start. Two waves; faster and slower (I was in the slower; brother Dave in the faster). I stumbled right at the start over somebody's trash bag and got banged up.

There is the race itself. Jockeying for position for the first six miles. Hundreds of thousands of people along the race -- the screaming people through Wellesley; the Wellesley girls offering a kiss. Heartbreak Hill, although I didn't realize I was at Heartbreak until at the top. I am ashamed to say that I walked part of Heartbreak.

There are the people. Forty thousand, or so. Seeing them in the hotels, the restaurants and pubs around Boston; all fit and thin; mostly youngish, or at least younger than me. From all parts of the world; lots from Ireland, Canada, England, Spain, Mexico. Striking up conversations with them in restaurants, at the airport.

There's Boston. Walking the Freedom Trail with Debbie and friends Belinda and William. Seeing the LDS Boston temple, a huge edifice. Going to Church services in Mitt Romney's old stake and hearing his name mentioned frequently. The fabulous Irish pubs, the Italian restaurants. (The hotel was a different matter; 100 yards from the Boston Garden in an area filled with sports bars; after the victory over Miami, all-night celebrations.)

There's the finish; with friends and family. I finished higher, but not much, than my seeded number. I was able to get up to the 13,000 series at mid-point before fading back (and then seeing friend Belinda pass me, somebody I had beat by several minutes in a half marathon just three weeks before). And a hundred thousand people in downtown Boston.

I'll post more pictures.

Paria Canyon, 38+ Miles

2010-04-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

On April 8-10, 2010, sons Tadd and Nate, sons-in-law Kirk and Casey (running companion), friend Greg (two 50-mile hikes and prospective Mt. Shasta fellow climber) and I made a 38-mile descent of Paria Canyon.

I had done this hike once before, but in under 24 hours with son Rob, ultrarunner brother Dave and friend Brady. Consequently, most of the hike was at night and we hadn't seen much. I had mentioned the hike to retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge R.N., who then reported to me with pictures that he had done the descent himself and wanted to do it again. I had decided that I had missed too much with my night descent and I wanted to do it again myself.

On April 8, 2010, we hired Susan, the shuttle driver, to pick us up at Lee's Ferry, Arizona, where we parked the car. She transported us the 90 minute distance to the Whitehouse trailhead in Utah, which can be see at point D on the map to the left here. Along the way she figured out pretty quickly we were Mormons and told us about the lead scroll find authored by John D. Lee at Lonely Dell. Of course, she wasn't too interested in hearing about my observations about the likelihood of the scroll being a Mark Hoffman forgery, but the others in the car had never heard of this stuff. Lonely Dell was John D. Lee's hideout from federal authorities after his participation in the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I had had prior experience with massacre here and here.

We left Whitehouse at about 1:00 p.m. Thursday. The more spectacular but longer hike would have been at first down Buckskin Gulch, but this time of year a descent down that Gulch would have required swimming and rope work. Driver Susan had told us that last year some hikers had found a dead hiker in a pool at the end of a rope.

I was a little concerned about the height of the Paria River. I hadn't seen it that high before. When I had hiked it some years before, the water was clear and low and it was easy to pick one's course across the river. This week, the snowmelt was underway, and the water was very silty and stepping off into the river could mean stepping into a deep pool. I laughed as the boys tried for the first couple of crossings to avoid getting their feet wet; we'd have 400 river crossings total.

That first day we hiked downstream about 8 or nine miles to a spring and camped. It took a few crossings to figure out the efficient method of crossing -- look for ripples in the water signifying shallow water.

It was great to have outdoors expert Greg there because he had become very familiar with the terrain through guidebooks and internet research. Although I had done the hike before, and Greg hadn't, I would not have known how to locate the springs along the way. Greg was able to identify them. The springs were more than just drips coming off the canyon walls. There were many springs sitting in clear pools along the base of the canyon walls. If one didn't know what one was looking for, those pools could easily be missed. Our first night was camped adjacent to such a pool.

From our first night's camp, we hiked a tough 17 miles or so the next day to "Last Reliable" (meaning, last reliable spring water). While packing up at Last Reliable around 7:00 a.m. the next morning, ultrarunner brother and fellow amateur Mormon historian brother Davy met us, after entering Whitehouse eight hours before. He then exited with us. His detailed account is here; he spent 8 hours running to where we had camped after two days. I kept telling the boys that he'd be arriving; they didn't believe me. I wondered what would happen if he arrived in the middle of a cold night and we had no tent to put him in.

We had to carefully pick our places to water up in springs along the way. At the lower end of the hike, river crossings were difficult because the water had become rather deep. When the water was high the second day, I shorted out my Canon ELPH in a river crossing and was forced to rely upon my blackberry for remaining shots.

We were warned to wear Neoprene socks, and they were very wonderful as they added an additional measure of warmth. The first day's descent and first evening were cold; the temperature descended to close to freezing. The next evening was much warmer as well the exit day.

We moved at a fast pace. Covering this distance in three days was rather challenging, but the boys did not complain.
The photos here are of Dave arriving just as we were breaking camp.

The adults were complaining about the inability to find any petroglyphs. I offered to get out my Sharpie and make some for them. Finally, on the last day, Greg carefully analyzed the photographs in his guidebook and found some petroglyphs for us.

This week completed a 60 mile plus week for me. Too bad I couldn't lose the gut before Boston.

More preparation for Boston

2010-04-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Another long mileage week, this time in rather cold weather.

After a 15-mile run Saturday morning, I took the family on one of my favorite 5-mile loops in Towsley Canyon.

The Great Race of Agoura -- Half Marathon -- First Place

2010-03-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

The Great Race of Agoura is one of the nation's oldest half-marathons and one of the largest fields run for an independent half. (Actually, this is the first year of the road half marathon, the trail half marathon is the one that is run year after year. I ran in the road half.) I ran in the 25th Anniversary Run and came in first place in my age division by over three minutes, and 55th overall. (I got smoked in the last second finish line by three people; wasn't paying attention.) Had I run in the next-youngest group I would have come in second place, and the group below that 8th place.

I had an 8:29 pace in a very hilly race. Twas a beautiful day. The hills were killers and I tended to get passed on them, huffing and puffing up them, but on the levels and downhills I made up my losses.

At mile 8 I downed a gel packet and wow, seemed to get a lot of energy, leaving in the dust several runners I'd been dueling with for miles.

After the race, when the sun was up in the 80s, running friends Belinda and Frank (who are going to Boston with me) and I ran 5 miles back from the finish line to the start line, where our cars were parked. We had no water. That was almost as tough as the race itself, plus carrying gear.

I didn't taper for this race; this was a 60+ mile week for me. My feet were bothering me with new shoes so I put my old falling-apart Nikes on for this race and things were perfect.

On to Boston. My final long-distance run will be next week. Then a 38-mile hike of Paria Canyon and I'll be ready.

Another 30-mile day; 50+ week

2010-03-20T16:26:00.001-07:00

I ran a slightly modified version of what I ran last Saturday, with a little more mileage tacked on, so the run this morning was over 30 miles. I used my alternate shoes today to counteract shinsplits, and wow did I suffer from toe jam and blisters. Out go those shoes. I had to stop mid-run and spend my food money on scissors and tape.

The photo is of an old railroad bridge at approximately mile 20 in the run. The trail isn't quite completed yet where this bridge is located. This is an interesting bridge; no rail lines to be seen for miles. This bridge over the Santa Clara river was built in 1898 as part of the Ventura to Saugus rail line. That line was used to haul produce to the coast and was heavily used during WWII. The City of Santa Clarita acquired it recently for part of the bike trail system but the south end of the bridge really has no place to go, as Magic Mountain Parkway crosses the line and there is no bike path. Lots of construction is underway and it looks the the City is completing a park.

Thirty Mile Training Run -- For Boston

2010-03-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

White's Pass; Copper Canyon
Find more Runs in Santa Clarita, California

Well, after all my running, I have never run more than 27 miles on road surfaces alone. I completed the above 30 mile run in under 5 hours, which is ok for a training run when there is nobody to run against. This run went from my house to Canyon Country and over White's Pass, down into Saugus and up Copper Hill Drive. The return followed the San Francisquito River as it connected to the Santa Clara River. I ran past the site of the St. Francis dam disaster 82 years ago in which 600 people perished. There is nothing left of that dam and no memorial.

At about mile 27 I encountered one of my friends out for a run who is accompanying me to the Boston Marathon.

It was a great run; I've greatly reduced the pain from long distance running through weight training.

United Airlines -- Boo Hoo

2010-02-12T16:39:00.001-08:00

So, today I boarded a United flight in Albany, NY to LAX. I had to make connections at Washington Dulles. United gave me only 50 minutes to make the connection when it booked the itinerary.

The first leg was 30 minutes late as Washington Dulles controlled the flight and wouldn't let us take off from Albany. By the time I got off the flight, I was 12 minutes away from departure for the connection. Fortunately, the gate was only 300 yards away.

I arrived with ten minutes to go before departure. The door was closed. An off-duty pilot and I walked up to the gate at the same time. The gate agent remarked to him that a First Class passenger had not checked in and he, the pilot, could have the seat. I held up my boarding pass and said that I was that passenger, and that United should have known that I was late because I was on an inbound flight.

The gate agent told me I was too late because the "door was closed," whereupon she opened the door and let the pilot in. I said, "No, the door is not closed; you just opened it for somebody taking my seat." She said, "No, sir, the door is closed." She then said that she was too busy processing the departing flight and that a supervisor would help me. The supervisor arrived, and the gate agent told her that I was too late, the door was closed. Of course, the supervisor wouldn't believe my story about the door being opened and closed again. Nor would the supervisor give me any aid whatsoever, except point me to a United Service Center with one employee serving an hour-long line.

Whoa.

Two and 1/2 years ago ago I was boarding a UAL flight from LAX to Denver, bound for Sheridan, Wyoming. I was given a general boarding pass without a seat assignment. I showed up at the gate and the gate agent asked me to wait. I watched them make repeated offers to people to leave an overbooked flight. Finally, they closed the door and I approached the agent, whereupon she asked me why I hadn't come forward earlier. I said that I had done so twice before. They opened the door and led me into the plane but every seat was filled and they kicked me off. Apparently, they had let some standbys on and she wouldn't kick the standbys off.

I went to the gate agent and she said she was too busy to help me because she was processing another flight. I stood in line for 2 hours at the United Service Center and then was told I couldn't be helped because I wasn't given a denial of service card.

I called United and was booked on a much later flight to Wyoming. I arrived in Denver and showed up at the puddle jumper connector, Great Lakes Airline, and was told that the flight was overbooked by United by 10 seats. United had booked me on that flight knowing it was already overbooked by 10 seats. (It was a 50 seat airliner.) I had to catch a plane to a much more distant location in Montana.

Whoa. This just ain't cool.

Double loop of Towsley Canyon, again.

2010-01-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

An extremely icy and then muddy day today. The week's rains left, with snow in the upper elevations around our valley. Had I been ambitious I could have run to the snow this morning but instead ran a double loop of my favorite, Towsley Canyon. The stream was running through the gorge and I had to wade through knee-high water for a hundred yards or so.

Double Loop of Towsley Canyon

2010-01-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

Conditions were perfect today for an 11 mile double loop (plus five mile to and fro round trip) of Towsley Canyon. Although I was still trying to shake bronchitis afflicting me for ten days, I made a go of it in perfect weather -- about 55 degrees with threatening rain. This is the time of year when Southern California is beginning to turn green in anticipation of spring. Almost but not quite a 50 mile week.

Bob Takes Third in 21K

2010-01-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

In a desperately miserable day, January 9, 2010, with the flu and bronchitis challenging me at every step of the way ("Are you OK, Sir?"), I eked out a third-place victory in my new age class (the only joy in life now is advancing into higher age groups) in a 21K trail run at Boney Mountain, near Newbury Park, California, in the Santa Monica Mountains. Wife Deb placed first in her age group 6K trail run. Son-in-law Casey beat me by 2 minutes. I made the mistake of yelling out to Casey with one mile to go that I was gaining on him.

It was a perfect day; slightly overcast and about 65 degrees. The course was fiercely steep for a 21K.

2009 Christmas at El Rancho

2010-01-03T19:43:00.001-08:00

All the kids made it.

Los Pinetos (The Beast) Dec. 24, 2009

2009-12-24T18:16:00.000-08:00

Death Valley Marathon -- 2nd in Age

2009-12-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

Today I completed the Death Valley Marathon, with a finishing time of 3:42:25, or about 90 seconds worse than my best time at St. George. I was second in my age class and 30th overall.

Conditions were ideal. Death Valley has rolling hills but is mostly flat, so flat that you think you are going downhill in each direction. I did this marathon in 2004, when it was the sixth running. It wasn't well attended then, perhaps 200 people. Today, the crowds were larger and they were running a half and a 10K. The half started off 10 minutes behind the marathon, and the lead half runners caught up with me at their turnaround spot, about 6.1 miles.

My 2004 marathon was my very first and I had a decent time of around 3:58. So, I haven't managed to shave all that much off my times. Slow, too big and not enough genetics.

As usual, between 17 and 26.2 miles I promise myself that I'll never do it again, as I struggle struggle struggle. This time (as I did in my slightly better St. George time) at least I passed people in the final miles rather than be passed. I was passed by one fellow at 24 who chatted with me awhile and said he was about to run his first ultra, and that he was preparing for that by running Death Valley on Saturday and Las Vegas the next day.

The weather was cool. I stayed ahead of the lead woman runner until mile 11, and ahead of the second woman runner until mile 13.

Newhall's Los Pinetos Peak

2009-11-27T16:59:00.001-08:00

The view from Los Pinetos Peak (the top of the "Beast") on three different days.

Rim to Rim to Rim Run, Grand Canyon 2009 -- 55th Birthday

2009-11-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, once again, I went with Brother Dave (and with brother-in-law "Mr." Ed and Dave's friend John A.) to the Grand Canyon to make a rim-to-rim-to-rim crossing. Friends, do not attempt unless you are not quite sane.

We left our motel at Jacob Lake early in the morning of November 21,2009 and started the descent on the Bright Angel Trail from the North Rim parking lot at about 4:00 a.m. It was below freezing.

Within 15 minutes we arrived at Supai Tunnel, where it was warm enough to strip to summer running gear. From there, and within the hour, we arrived at Roaring Springs, a place I had run to earlier in summer. We stocked up on on water, knowing it would be a waterless run to the bottom of the canyon. Off we went for another couple of hours to Phantom Ranch. The box canyon approaching Phantom Ranch was a great place to run at full speed for three or four miles.

At Phantom Ranch, we hid our excess gear for the ascent. Folks were beginning to awake in the dawn. Up we went on the ascent to the South Rim. I had difficulty keeping up with the other three, but came within a hundred yards or so with Brother Dave once. Past Indian Gardens, as the ascent became much steeper, the trail was crowded with hikers and mule trains. We passed dozens of people.

I started experiencing quite a bit of nausea and my enthusiasm for the adventure flagged. The higher I went the colder it got. Arriving five minutes after brother Dave at the South Rim, we all stopped at the lodge to down a quick meal. I bought a technical long-sleeved shirt. My hot dog, however, wanted to keep coming up the next several hours. On the ascent down from the South Rim, I wasn't so much interested in going as fast as I had on the descent from the North Rim because the harder I worked, the more I wanted to hurl chunks.

Again, at Phantom Ranch at about 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. However, the Park Service confiscated our stowed equipment, including our flashlights. BIL Ed and Friend John had to negotiate with a officious bureaucrat to get our stuff back.

Up we went; I was dragging behind as usual. Up and up and up. As my hot dog disappeared from the stomach, and I relied solely upon Hammer Gel, my nausea began to abate. At Supai Tunnel, BIL bonked with what appeared to be slight hypothermia. We got food into him and got his warm clothes back on -- within minutes he sparked up and roared past me to the top.

On the top -- wonderful victory! Forty-eight miles; sixteen and one-half hours, with 2 1/2 of those hours goofing off - shopping, waiting for the Park Service.

The other two blog posts are at: Davy: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=165; Jon: http://jon.fastrunningblog.com/blog-Grand-Canyon-Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim/11-21-2009.html

Nov. 14: Another 50+ Week

2009-11-14T12:44:00.001-08:00

Today's run was capped off by a tough technical downhill; up the fire road at Whitney Canyon and then down the Los Pinetos trail, through Placerita Canyon, up the Mt. Manzanita Trail, and down Viper.
Picture 1: Los Pienetos Descent off of Manzanita Mountain. This descent starts at about four miles up the Whitney Canyon fire road; the descent is about two miles.

Picture 2: Los Pinetos. At the bottom of the run in the 2.5 mile segment in Placerita Canyon.

Picture 3: More Placerita Canyon.

Picture 4: Manzanita Trail ascent out of Placerita Canyon, a one mile segment.

Picture 5: Viper descent, about a two mile segment

Another 50+ mile week

2009-11-08T20:37:00.001-08:00

I ran another 50+ miles this past week. I particularly enjoy the stress runs I have been doing; did a 15-mile run on Saturday in the heat on an empty stomach and no water.

Two runs are coming up; a 48-mile rim to rim to rim run in the Grand Canyon Nov 20, and a marathon in Death Valley on Dec. 5.

I've done the R-R-R once before; it was my first run beyond marathon distance at the time. I've done a lot of running since then, so hopefully the stress won't be the same as it was before. The R-R-R is particularly tough on the feet and a particular tendon in my right leg. Keeping water in the system seems to help, but I hear the spigots along the trail have been shut off.

Albany

2009-10-27T19:42:00.001-07:00

Once again, I am running along the Hudson River in Albany. It is chilly and beautiful.

Ascent to Nike Base

2009-10-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, today I was prepare to run the 100 mile Pony Express Run in Utah, having talked wife into it, but then my driver became ill. Scott, though, at the last minute said he could do it but I didn't have time to get up to Utah.

Today was a 20-mile ascent to the Nike base with a return down Placerita Canyon with an ascent back up to the Viper trail at Mt. Manzanita. About a 4 1/2 hour run.

These pictures are great when you consider that they are taken in the most populous county in the United States, 14 million people. In 4 1/2 hours, the only people I saw were firemen at the Nike base, where the helicopter jump station is located.
Photo 1
Photo 1 is a view of Fire Station Camp 9 at dawn at the top of the mountain, looking down from the communications tower peak. To the right is the remnant of some of the missile base communications equipment.
Photo 2
Photo 2: View to the north of the Los Angeles basin at dawn; you can see the financial district in the center of the photo, where I work.
Photo 3
Photo 3: View to the north of the Santa Clarita valley, looking at Sand Canyon.
Photo 4
Photo 4: Off the Fire Station is a descent down the mountain. This is the look up the route from which I had just descended. The shot is taken at Bear Divide. The bare trees were burned in a fire three or four years ago, planted there as a WPA project in the 1930s.

First 100-Miler

2009-10-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

OK. I haven't told my wife yet, but next week I am running the Pony Express 100 in Utah. Son Scott will be crew chief. Wife has been wondering why my running has been stepping up in the past few weeks back to obsession level.

50-mile plus week

2009-10-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday ended another 50-mile plus week, with two days in Livingston, New Jersey.

On Saturday, I didn't have time to run my planned 30-miler so, instead, I ran a "high stress" 15 miler. Based upon an article I read in Runner's World, one could duplicate end-of-run conditions by not fueling or drinking before or after a run. So, I selected my usual loop of Towsley Canyon, but I doubled it to get above 15 miles.

I arrived home from the run ready to pass out, my usual end-of-long-run condition if I don't drink right. There, I was confronted with an extremely poopy diaper I had to immediately change, since none of my children would do so.

I put the kid (I won't say whether it is one of my own or a grandkid) in the bathtub, whereup the kid's sister jumped into the poopy bathtub water.

Ugh.

I've signed up for Boston!

Castaic Lake Scout Triathlon

2009-09-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

http://crockett11.blogspot.com/

This Week's Running in Review

2009-08-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

Well, Saturday last week I was smoked by my brother and brother-in-law in a run of Timp in the Wasatch Range in Utah. I struggled and came 40-minutes behind my best run, for about 4:40. They beat me by about 1:20.

But, this week I have been ramping it up. From Utah I flew to NY. Among my notable days this week was a 12 mile run in Clifton Park, NY followed by a ten or so mile bike trip.

Then, back to Salt Lake; I only had a couple of hours outside of client meetings to plot my next strike break but I ran from my son's house in Sandy to the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon and then ran a trail along the Bonneville shelf for awhile.

Today, back in California a 20 mile run to the top of Odeen Platform above Mentryville, and then back for a 14-mile bike ride on the road bike I just purchased off of ebay.

I bought new shoes at the recommendation of my brother who said I needed a stability trail shoe. I bought a pair of Saucony ProGrid Xodus, a very stiff shoe. Buying running shoes is risky business, because they are so expensive, and one thing about them in a perfectly acceptable shoe otherwise can make them unacceptable - a particular hot spot, usually. My shoe closet is full of very expensive running shoes I use only for a casual shoe because they just don't cut it.

Already I'm liking the Saucony (a brand I've never found acceptable, but probably because I bought their cheaper shoes) them better than my Brooks Cascadia. The Brooks gave me hotspots in my heel. After a tough 20-mile run today in the heat, with 14 of it on the road, there were no hot spots! Great shoe!!!

Next week, I'm off to Silver Lake in the Adirondacks. for some running and biking. (Well, client work during the day.) I'm renting a bike in Albany. It should be fun and different!

I came up with a new joke this week for which my family gave me a standing applause. Seems I went to the doctor, given my advanced age, and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the doctor.

50 Miler on Silver Knapsack Trail, High Sierras

2009-07-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

North Rim Descent to Roaring Springs

2009-07-02T21:11:00.001-07:00

I descended in July from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to Roaring Springs and back, a 3-hour round trip (usually, an all day hike). This wasn't much compared to the rim to rim to rim I did with my brother here.

Descent to Roaring Springs at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Community

Cannell Plunge

2009-06-28T05:52:00.000-07:00

On June 22, 2009, friend Greg and I mountain-biked the Cannell Plunge from Sherman Pass in Kern County to Kernville. This is a 26-mile descent from over 9,000 feet for experienced mountain bikers. I hadn't touched my bike in a year, but fortunately had many many hours on my feet in ultrathon training.

At the end of the day, I wasn't tired from the physical exertion except for the relentless assault upon my arms and shoulders from the braking and turning required in the last, very sandy, descent.

Upper Kern River to Rincon Pass

2009-06-27T21:48:00.001-07:00

I did this while at scout camp with two sons. This 12 mile run started at the intersection of state highway 99 and the Kern River near Kernville, California, in the lower Sierras just east of the divide. This area of the Sierras is dry and hot in late June. I ascended the Kern River along an extremely rocky trail which made it difficult to run. The trail then leaves the river gorge and ascends up to the Rincon trail. This connecting trail was little-used. It connected with the Rincon trail and in the early morning I was uncertain about the Rincon trail's location and direction in the early morning. It took me several minutes to locate the compass on my Garmin and then I was off and running south.

The Rincon trail disappeared into a riverbed. A trail marker tree had been washed down and it took me several minutes to find the trail again. Finally, I ascended to the pass and then descended.

This was a moderately-difficult run, in part due to the difficult footwork among the sharp rocks in the first 5 miles. There was no way that the first 8 miles of my run would be passable for horses.

06/27/2009 Upper Kern River to Rincon Pass
Find more Runs in Kernville, California

Cindy Graduates

2009-06-04T22:02:00.001-07:00

Fourth daughter Cynthia graduated tonight from Hart High. Off to the University of Utah.

Albany, NY

2009-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

I just returned from several days in Albany, NY. Still recovering from my marathon on Memorial Day, I still have some of the soreness from the run. However, I was able to get out a few times.

This run below was a 10-miler, north along the Hudson River and then south along Broadway through the villages of Watervliet, Menands and then Albany.

This is the prettiest time in Albany. Green everywhere. The view along the Hudson was quite wonderful, although the river was smelly at times. The polluted Hudson is worse than normal these days whilst a billion-dollar dredging for PCBs at a G.E. plant upstream is underway.

Henry Hudson sailed up the Hudson in 1609; this year is the 400th anniversary of his discovery voyage. He was looking for a northwest passage. (I frankly can't understand how he would think to find that sailing up a freshwater river, but what do I know. And, he didn't.)
Albany, NY at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Community

Los Angeles Marathon -- 4:00:54

2009-05-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

May 25, 2009: OK; not the greatest time. Placed 100th in my division at a 60% grade. As an excuse, I am recovering from pretty painful but not all that drastic surgery in March which caused me not to be all that interested in training.

There were close to 20,000 runners. The weather was overcast and around 70 degrees. We started at 7:20. Characteristically we couldn't hear the national anthem, even though we had no problem hearing Mayor Antonio Villarigosa and some of the promos.

I ran with several members of my stake; 11 from one ward alone. I have gone running with them in the past. I think I beat all of them; not quite sure. One sister from my stake, a few years younger than me, placed 20th in her division. One fellow, 10 years old than me, placed 24th.

I'll have pix.

Klamath Falls, OR

2009-05-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

This was a great run in the morning of May 15, 2009. It was 27 degrees to start in the morning, and I was dressed for summer weather. It warmed up after about an hour.
&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/or/klamath-falls/396124250172127054"&amp;gt;05/16/2009 Route&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-run/united-states/or/klamath-falls"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Klamath Falls, Oregon&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Ode to Manny and Drew

2009-05-07T09:52:00.001-07:00

Manny:

You're a dope and a fool.
I knew it all along.
You've destroyed Boston, and now Los Angeles.
Go away.

Drew:

I've always known you're going nowhere.
And now you're doing it fast.
Hope you like the bench.

Fall River Legend

2009-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I pleased to report the successful run of my production "Fall River Legend" at the Reno Dance Theater. Seven months of good attendance, with the phenomenal leads of Rene Molinare and Frances Meiani. Look next for my production of "Firebird" in Portland.

Grandfather Again

2009-04-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce the arrival of Ruby Severts in Denver, Colorado. She is my fifth grandchild. Oddly, I was in Denver in the airport with a diverted plane when all this was going down, but heck business is business.

Bruce Springsteen

2009-04-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm not much of a Springsteen fan. My last album of his was vinyl. I have Billy Joel albums on CD, and I generally despise Billy Joel.

But, with wifey on April 14, 2009, I went to see Springsteen and the E-Street band at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. He played without an opening act; apparently never does. It was a 2 and 1/2 hour show, one of the longest I've ever gone to for a single act. Every second was worth it, really, to this non-fan.

There was not a black or Hispanic face in the arena, except for two members of the E-Street band. Almost all of these white fans appeared to be able to sing along with Bruce's seemingly incomprehensible lyrics. The audience was composed mostly of boomers my age, although there were some 20-something kids there.

I was waiting for Bruce to go off on some political rant; he didn't.

I particularly enjoyed Bruce's version of a Stephen Foster song in the encore. I missed hearing Thunder Road and the Rising. He scattered some songs from his new album in the mix, including an odd one about Outlaw Pete where he donned a cowboy hat.

Max Weingart (Conan O'Brien Show) was on drums, and Nils Lofgren was a guitarist. The musicianship was terrific. The sax player was a fellow who looked like he was 70, and had to be propped up the entire time, but he was wonderful.

Maybe I'll go out and buy and album or two.

More running!

2009-04-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Ran almost 20 miles yesterday (ran to Towsley Canyon and then ran a double loop plus an additional mile on a third loop), and six miles the day before!!! Feeling a little better.

My First Real Run in 21 Days!!!!

2009-04-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ran Towsley Canyon this morning, about 7 miles. Finally!

Post Race Recovery Part II

2009-03-26T12:59:00.001-07:00

Went for my first post-surgery run today. Two weeks from today since the surgery. Two miles. The wind's there but not the will.

Post Race Recovery

2009-03-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is the absolutely worst post-race recovery I've ever had. I scheduled what might be running-related surgery for the Wednesday after the race and that surgery was completed Wednesday after over one hour in the operating room. I won't go into the gross details.

I've been off my feet for 48 hours now; looks like it is going to be a while before I run again.

Old Pueblo 50 Mile -- Tucson March 7, 2009

2009-03-09T06:45:00.001-07:00

March 7, 2009 I completed the Old Pueblo 50 Mile run in Tucson, Arizona, with a time of 10:45:47, or 48th place.
This would be my seventh ultrathon, not counting pacing duties.

The weather was perfect. We had a start in the 40s and it never got above 70 degrees in the desert flats.

We started in the dark. I had to buy a flashlight the night before, incorrectly thinking I could get away with a dark start. There were lots of runners. I blew past the first aid at Granite Mountain, about 3 miles, without stopping.

The ascent up to Gunsight Pass was lots of fun. I am glad to say that I ran most of it. The greatest part of the course was the downhill from Gunsight Pass to the desert floor – a long descent and very technical. I worried the whole way about twisting my ankle but I survived well. I had a fast runner on my tail who could never catch up to me until we got to the flats, and about 2 miles into the flats he caught up and complimented me on my descent. As he was pulling ahead, three large dogs came out of the desert and contemplated approaching us. My companion actually ducked behind me and I held my bottle out for defense. We ran past them quickly. We pulled into the aid station at 19 miles, Helvetia, and away he went.

[See one of the dogs in the background; I am just coming off of Gunsight Pass.]

I like to run these ultrathons without keeping track of the mileage so that I can get mentally into finishing, and at the Box Canyon aid station I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I was at the 25 mile mark. I had a pretty good time of about 4 ½ hours.

The ascent up Box Canyon was tough. I was passed by runners as I walked, but I proceeded to pass them all later.

The last ten miles were delightful. Rolling trails, grassy fields, beautiful views. As I pulled in to the last aid station for the final four miles I was feeling terrific; no injuries, no blisters, feet not all that tired.

[Rolling into mile 46.]

I ripped past a few more runners. A fellow older than I am in a green shirt (see the photo; he's behind me) passed me at the last aid station and that was all she wrote of that. In the last three miles I came within 100 feet of the runner who would eventually be right ahead of me, but he pulled ahead several hundred yards with a strong finish. I came in around 10:40 (to be corrected when I get the exact time).

Many thanks to my brother Davy for motivating me to do it and ignoring all my excuses not to do it. Especial thanks to Davy's friend Dave, from Gilbert, with whom I kept exchanging places (and pleasant conversation) for over 30 miles until I finally pulled it out in the end.

I spent another hour with my brother at the end. It was getting cold.

I thank the race directors, Lynda Hendricks and Steve Burton. This is one of the finest 50s.

Ascent to Nike Base; Return Placerita Canyon

2009-02-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

This run is an old favorite. Lots of vertical and distance. Tuning up for the big one next week. This run is like mindless running. For the trail part I rarely see a soul. Today I saw one other runner. In the ten years I've been making the ascent to the Nike Base along this trail, I have perhaps seen twenty people total from the Los Pinetos Trailhead at the top to the Nike Base. I made the mistake of making the entire run on two small breakfast bars, and didn't eat breakfast, but that's planning.

What I really like about this run is that at the Los Pinetos trailhead (which is actually at the top of the trail and about 5 miles into the run; it goes down in both directions to the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys) the Los Angeles Equestrian Club has plopped an outhouse in the middle of nowhere; bring your own T.P. however. I know, TMI.

There's also water at the Nike base, a fire jump station manned around the clock, at the very tip top. (It looks like they were running on generators; must not have restored the power lines since the fires last fall.) It is always fun running through this fire station; there must be thirty or so men there, mostly around 25 years of age. They see this old 54-year-old running through. There is also supposed to be water in the campground in Sand Canyon, but I couldn't find any serviceable fountains this day.

Note how I deviate from the road in the lower southeast corner. There is a very steep single track trail to the peak, and then off the peak heading east there is another single track that bypasses a long road loop.

02/28/2009 Ascent to Nike Base; Return Placerita Canyon
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Gearing Up for the Old Puelbo 50, Next Week

2009-02-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

As my firm goes through 10% layoffs this morning (gag and misery), I contemplate the ridiculous. Another 50M in Tuscon eight days from now.

Am I ready? No. I've taken a whole week off from running because of the pressures of work. But, I am never ready for these runs and I always claim not to be ready.

Will I like the heat? He** no. Heat slows me down and makes me sick.

Will I be embarrassed? Yes. My brother will be there to embarrass me.

Onward.

To Magic Mountain the Long Way

2009-02-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite runs, below. However, on a regular work day the traffic can be fierce along some of it. Today's run was with no water and on an empty stomach, so it seemed to go on forever. Plus, the unending pain in my hand from the stenosis in my neck is excruciating. I guess it will never end.

02/18/2009 Magic Mountain the Long Way from Newhall
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Another Run

2009-02-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

Here's another fun run this week. All the way up to the old railroad bridge crossing in North Valencia where the City has added new paths to its system near Magic Mountain. From there up San Francisquito Canyon, the site of a 500-death dam collapse 80 or so years ago, and back. This run is very scenic. Through nice neighborhoods and along the Santa Clara and San Francisquito Rivers. Of course, a river in the Los Angeles area is a wash with a trickle of water running through it in the winter.

02/11/2009 Route From Newhall Up to Old RR Bridge
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Favorite Road Run

2009-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

This morning was one of my favorite road runs. I picked up my wife's running group about two miles into the run, at about 5:00 a.m., near the intersection of Wiley Canyon and Old Orchard, and proceeded to get smoked by two of her fast friends.

02/09/2009 Route Past Cal Arts
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Training for Big Horn 100

2009-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Ok; June 19, 2009, I declare, I am running the Big Horn 100. I ran the 50 last year. This will be my very first 100, and at age 54 I'm not getting any younger and since this is on my "bucket" list, I have to do it now.

The Big Horn 100 is one of the tougher runs. The altitude, the vertical change, the temp differences, will make it quite the run.

To prepare, as you will see, I am planning a half marathon in February, a 50 in April, and the Memorial Day Los Angeles Marathon. I need to find another race in there somewhere.

January 1, 2009: Newhall's The Beast

2009-01-01T15:17:00.001-08:00

An ascent up Newhall's the Beast today, descending through Walker Ranch and Placerita Canyon. About 14 miles.

Over 50 mile training week

2008-12-26T14:06:00.001-08:00

It has been a long time since I did it last, but I pushed over a 50-mile week in my run today.

Today, I ran from Newhall to Canyon Country, over Whites Canyon Pass, up Copper Hill Drive, through the riverbed and past the mall for a return home. This was strictly a road run; all the trails are too muddy. At 13 miles a high school running group passed me and I kept up at a sub 7:00 pace for a mile or two, but then had to stop because I was about to pass a planned stop for water and food. What blasted fun!

The shin splints and swollen ankle won't go away, but hopefully it isn't too serious.

Newhall to Canyon Country to Valencia
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The stretch along the Santa Clara River is ghastly ugly -- the running trail is just a sidewalk along Soledad Canyon Highway, a grimy cross-town roadway. The City's running trail then forces you to cross at a cross-walk near the bowling alley, which I don't do and just continue on the sidewalk. The ascent up White's Canyon is no more attractive, but things improve on the downhill from the pass.

Signed up for first 100

2008-12-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Here, I've signed up for my first 100.

Well, it is only a 100K but it is a start. It is the same race ran in December 2008, the OC Twin Peaks 50K, but doubled somehow. I was in excellent condition at my 50K finish, except for mild hypothermia, as well as my three 50M finishes in 2008, so I am optimistic. And, my marathon time in October 2008 was personal best by 20 minutes.

My spinal injury continues to afflict me but doesn't seem to change with the running. Just painful whether running or sitting, so I might as well be running.

I've been out this week running long distances, 20M yesterday and 14M today, trying to recover from the twisted ankle suffered in the December 50K below. My ankle is getting worse before it is getting better, but as long as run straight it doesn't affect my performance.

Running this week has been slogging through heavy and frosted mud, slipping and sliding along the trails. We've been experiencing very cold conditions for Southern California, and I've been hitting the trailheads at below 32 degrees. I've been running through areas where it has snowed but the snow has melted into mud.

My favorite runs this week have been from my house up East Canyon, to the top of Newhall Pass, and back home. Also, from my home through Towsley Canyon. Modest elevation gains, less than 2000 feet. I'll be returning soon to Whitney Canyon and the Nike Base ascent.

The OC's Twin Peaks 50K -- 6:56:45 and 11th Place Overall

2008-12-13T21:06:00.000-08:00

Casey and I ran the OC's Twin Peaks 50K on December 13, 2008. Casey picked this as his first ultrathon.

Thanks to Jessica for putting on a great race despite the terrible weather. The weather made it fun, the threat of missing aid stations challenging. (At one aid station, I was told to "prepare" for the fact the next aid station might be missing. I prepared by drinking more water. I thought about eating more food but didn't want to get too far behind the three runners who left the aid station, whom I quickly passed.)

We started at 6:30 a.m. The 50K runners started at different times, 6:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. My start time was 7:30 but I elected to start with Casey at 6:30. As a consequence I was running with first-time ultrathonners.

It wasn't quite sunrise when we started. The weather was moderate, in the mid-50s, so I elected to run in summer running attire.

The leg to the first aid station was an immediate ascent. Following my normal pattern I never study the course in advance, so the immediate climb of the first peak was a big surprise. The first aid station was near the first peak; a long ascent. To my surprise, I was the first in our running group pulling into the aid station, although Casey was ahead of me all the way to the peak itself. I made up time on the small downhill right before the aid station. But, leaving the aid station, another runner beat me out of it and I could never catch up to him. I dropped Casey running out of the first aid station.

Eventually, one more runner from my group passed me near Santiago Peak.

After the first aid station I started to pass some 6:00 a.m. starters.

By far the greatest part of the run was the descent down the 4-mile single track known as West Horsethief. This was a challenging rock-strewn twisting descent; I couldn't quite barrel down this one. The ascent up the single track known as Holy Jim right after the descent was a whole lot of fun; I passed several racers from the 6:00 a.m. departure on this climb as well as about 30 hikers. This was a beautiful ascent; it then hooked into a fire road three miles below Santiago Peak.

There's an aid station right at this connection to the fire road. One guy standing there; it looked like he had just arrived. I begged for a trash bag and I felt lots better in the cold rain. I should have dressed for cold weather It was really cold at this aid station and I was looking at a three-mile ascent to the peak.

At Santiago Peak the fog, rain and clouds obscured vision so much it was often difficult to see the path right in front of me. The aid station volunteer looked like she had just arrived as well; she was pulling stuff out of the camper shell in her pickup truck and it wasn't a lot of stuff.

The wind and rain were roaring. The wind was screaming through the communication towers on the top of Santiago Peak; we ran right below the towers.

On the descent out of Santiago Peak I saw Casey on the out and back. He was only about 40 minutes behind. He was looking great but he was walking with some other walkers. (I had made the entire ascent of Santiago Peak running; it wasn't easy but I was afraid of hypothermia and thought that if my pulse rate dropped I might get too cold. If I kept eating and running I thought I'd be OK.)

In the poor weather I missed a turn and added almost two miles and 20 minutes to my run. I was pretty unhappy when some experienced Twin Peaks runners about an hour behind me were telling me that I was on the wrong descent.

I finally rejoined the right trail and booked it for the really long downhill back to the start. The descent from the last aid station was a seven-mile downhill on a fire road. I was in heaven. Trail wasn't too rugged so I could really lay it out. Not too hard, warming up a little, even a little sunshine.

Here are the results; second in my age class.

At the bottom, I waited for hours and Casey finally arrived by truck. In the poor weather when he saw me wearing my trash bag on the out and back, he asked for one as well, but instead of my see-through bag he got a black one. It hid his bib and so the race directors guided him into the 50-mile route. He was ten miles into it when an aid station alerted him to the fact, and since the last 20 miles of the 50 is a re-ascent of one of the peaks he wasn't prepared for, he caught a ride back.

Once again, as I have done my last three races, I had twisted my ankle and taken a bloody header, with folks up and down the line commenting on it and trying to help.

I spent an hour talking with Andy Salinger, an avid reader of brother Dave's blog. Andy had come in second place, was a 7:30 starter, and actually passed me near the finish. Three 7:30 starters passed me. Andy knew Dave's 2008 runs far better than I did, and I had run a couple of them. Andy said that Twin Peaks was quite a run to use for a beginner.

Dave's friend Jim Skaggs DNF'd on the 50M. I heard that he had stopped to help somebody in a car accident up near Santiago on the fire road.

One week later my ankle is still bruised and swollen. It also took me about five days to recover from the effects of hypothermia. It was worse than I had thought. I had experienced the same symptoms in two prior runs where I got too cold -- several days of feeling like I couldn't warm up and feeling a little ill.

It seems the 2009 Twin Peaks Ultra will be run in its normal month February, and it is offering a 100K. Hmm. If I want to tackle the 100M Big Horn I might want to do this one.

Birthday Run

2008-11-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I turned 42 today. I went running one of my absolute favorite runs today, an ascent through Whitney Canyon (SR-14 and San Fernando in Newhall, CA) to the Nike Base (Fire Jump Station No. 9 at the top of Bear Divide), down to Placerita Canyon Drive, through Walker Ranch and to the Nature Center and back again. Twenty something miles with a lot of vertical.

This time I ran it with Son-In-Law No. 2 Casey. He and I are planning to run the 50K in Twin Peaks, Orange County. Casey pushed me extremely hard so we ran this route faster than I had ever done it before, shaving 1/2 hour off my best time. It was a great run; a little muddy from the recent rains. Parts of the trail were close to getting washed out due to the recent fires in the area; the northern slope of this portion of the Angeles National Forest was burned out three years ago but there was enough growth to fuel some of the fire from the Sayler fire burning on the southern slope.

One of my favorite sections is actually on the road coming down from Bear Divide, where I usually book it for about two miles. Some Dire Straits, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard or the Scorpions (but not too much of them; I find most of their music repulsive) is all I need for motivation.

I also love this run because there is a water fountain at the jump station at the very top and water in Walker Ranch at the bottom on the way back.

Twenty miles of real hard running and not sore one bit! Nor was I hungry at the end; one breakfast bar and two Hammer Gel packs was enough. My legs still have it for the big one coming up..

November's Post

2008-11-24T09:09:00.001-08:00

So, I haven't posted much. I continue to battle a nerve injury I've had for 20 months. A compression in my spine at C5-C6 has caused my right hand to be numb and painful, and the docs are divided as to whether running has anything to do with it. So instead of preparing for my 50K in December I've been doing low impact workouts at the gym. Basically, stairclimbing and some treadmill work. All sorts of traction, therapy, spinal injections and drugs have not made a dent. Not a dent, I tell you.

The month layoff of running has done nothing to improve my condition.

So, I continue to browse on-line for prosthetic hooks. They come in different colors now, instead of stainless steel.

But, I am still signed up for the 50K and may run it cold. I say, cold, I tell you. That will play heck on my hamstrings, which are hard to keep up in the gym in any way with aerobic machines.

Recovery from St. George

2008-10-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've been out running a few times this week. Sore hamstrings!! Haven't quite recovered from St. George.

I've got to put in 50 miles next week to get ready for the Santa Barbara half.

St George Marathon: 3:40:27

2008-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

Chip Time -------------03:40:27
Overall Place ---------1221 / 5030
Gender Place ----------901 / 2850
Division Place --------89 / 309
Age Grade -------------65%
Pace ------------------8:24.6

I completed the October 4, 2008 St. George Marathon with a 3:40.27 finish. I ran with wife's friends Mandy and Belinda, who beat me by two minutes, but they are like more than 20 years younger. (Big whoop de doo, therefore.) My previous best was at St. George at 03:56:12 in 2005. So, this was 16 minutes better than my best time. My later marathons were struggles around 4:00, and as late as 4:11.

I attribute my improvement to race conditions -- it was raining the entire way and cool but not cold. I also attribute improvement to better uphill conditioning. The last St. George Marathon I had lots of people pass me on the three major uphills. This year I generally kept up with my group or passed people. Lots of stairclimbing and trail hills helped.

One thing I did differently on this run is that when I was feeling good I simply booked it big time rather than holding back for fear of getting tired.

I also do not believe in tapering, having run 30 miles in the Big Bear 100 seven days before. I think all that tapering stuff is nonsense, but I did lay off two days before the marathon.

Running Parts of Bear 100

2008-09-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

<--- BROTHER DAVE at about mile 35.

My brother Dave invited me to pace him once again on parts of the Bear 100 Mile Run.

I ran two segments, a 14.94 mile segment from Right Hand Fork to Tony Grove, and a 14.34 mile segment from Franklin basin to Beaver Lodge. Thus, about 30 miles.

It wasn't too tough; I suffered from some shin splints in my right leg but the next morning neither legs nor feet were worse for wear. I suffered more from lack of sleep than anything else. This will be a good tuneup for the St. George Marathon, one week away. I will be forced to run with shin splints, but running on the road is less impactful on the shins than running on a trail.

The race crisscrossed Logan Canyon Road, which runs between Logan, Utah and Bear Lake. My first segment started at the Right Hand Trail Fork about 3:00 p.m. The second segment started at the Franklin Basin about 10:00 p.m. and ended at 4:00 a.m.

The second segment was naturally longer because my runner, Dave, was now in his 70th mile and pretty shot. I very much enjoyed hanging with him; he was in incredible shape and especially in the first segment I had to work to keep up (it didn't help that he was trying to smoke me).

The run through the night was beautiful but occasionally cold. There were parts of the run, especially in the basins, where it was in the 20s, and we were both running in light gear. Stopping for more than 5 minutes meant great trouble.

I so much loved the night running. We pulled into the Beaver Creek Lodge at 4:00 a.m. and it was about 24 degrees. Dave's crew was there to help him. I didn't want to stop and wanted to push to the end for another 25 miles, but Dave picked up another pacer and told me to rest myself for St. George.

My brother eventually came in 30th place with a 30:51:00 finish. This seemed like a tougher race than last year. There were lots more ups and downs, as well as trail obstacles.

I ran 39 miles last year with Dave from mile 50 and he seemed to be doing much better that year. Lots of vomiting this time. (Gee, do I really want to do my own 100? I don't know. I don't like to barf.)

Smoked Again

2008-09-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

OK, son-in-law Casey and I ran up from SR14/San Fernando on September 6, 2008 to the Nike Base at the top of Bear Divide. After beating him in the July 4 Santa Clarita 5K, I thought I'd have a chance, but he smoked me to the top and to the bottom. It was about a 16 miles round trip and was hot at the end.

Nebo Peak

2008-09-01T11:45:00.001-07:00

Son Rob and I made the western ascent of Mt. Nebo near Mona, Utah on August 31, 2008. See a good map of the area and the Willow Canyon trail head yonder

We arrived at the trail head around 4:00 a.m. The trail head is at around 6500 feet; the peak we were aiming for is at 11,877. It was dark but we had headlamps. We got off to a bad start, thinking the creek bed was the trail. We spent 20 or 30 minutes on that fruitless exercise and got wet, returning to the trail head only to see that we had missed an arrow pointing to the real trail.

So we were off. The trail followed the creek bed for a short way but then started ascending and it was very steep. The trail was loose, so footing became difficult on the steep terrain.

The trail then took a sharp bend to the west but we lost the trail when we became misdirected into a campsite. Instead of backtracking to find the trail I made the error of pushing off up the hill hoping to find the trail. We didn't, and instead bushwhacked to the top of the ridge -- a ridge very apparent on the map. We then bushwhacked for a mile or two north along the ridge. At that altitude, 10,000 feet, the conditions were spring-like. The vegetation was lush but, fortunately, there was no scrub oak at that altitude. We spent lost of time following elk trails, but they weren't all that organized.

We finally connected with the trail on a saddle on the ridge, where the trail from the eastern slope connected with the ridge trail to Nebo. The ridge trail to Nebo wasn't all that difficult, in terms of obstacles, but it was steep and at over 11,000 feet the air was thin.

Mt. Nebo is really not the highest peak in the area; South Peak (or what is called Mt Nebo on the map I reference above) is about 50 feet higher. Mt. Nebo (or Nebo Peak), the one we climbed, was for decades considered the highest peak until a recent geological survey fixed the error. At the top of Nebo Peak is a mound of rocks that climbers are adding to in the hopes that some day Nebo Peak will reclaim its glory. But, the mound is only about three feet high today.

It would take an experienced mountaineer to climb the ridge between Nebo Peak, where we were, and the South Peak. It was a very narrow razor-thin ridge with steep talus slopes on either side.

The descent was not all that fast due to blisters and the very loose soil which caused me to slip and fall several times. Rob was in pretty good shape, so it was a great day. I think we may have lost a couple of hours or more with our getting lost.

Honolulu

2008-08-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

Honolulu -- Diamond Head at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

I was in Honolulu on business. I had to be at my appointment at 9:00 a.m. the next morning. I though I'd get up and do an hour's run.

My alarm went off; unfortunately, it was the wrong one and I had failed to turn this one back by three hours. I was off and running before I realized it was about 2:00 a.m. in the morning. Oh well, I guess I could do a long run.

I pointed myself towards Diamond Head. My Garmin took about a mile to locate the satellites. I stopped at a gas station about 3.5 miles into the run and fueled up and took off. I had my Blackberry with me. I needed it to navigate Honolulu's difficult streets.

On the backside of Diamond Head (where the state park entrance is located) I hoped to find the trailhead to the top. I couldn't. It was dark, the park entrance closed and the tunnel locked. I had to try it another day.

Back to the hotel along the canal in Waikiki where the hookers were plying their trade. I saw the cops bust one of them.

Ninth Circuit Victory

2008-08-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Today at Center for Biological Diversity link.

Son Number Four Gets His Eagle

2008-07-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Tadd!

July 4 Santa Clarita 5 K

2008-07-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

The results are in for the Santa Clarita 5K on July 4, 2008. I was 108th overall, fifth in age class. Brother Davy was 56th overall; daughter Linsday was first in her age class. Wife Debora was fifth in her age class. Brother in law Ed Johnson was 23rd overall. Nephew Ryan edged me out at the last second to take 106th. Son Rob was 225th overall and 17th in his age class. Son in law Casey Bingham, who usually smokes me on our runs, placed 118th overall.

The first photo is wife going for personal best.

In the second photo I'm passing Casey, my 20-something son-in-law, who had previously smoked me in a major way in the Muir Beach (Marin County) 10K in December and the Malibu Creek 6-K a few weeks ago. It looks like I'm going slower than he is, but that is simply my stride at that point. All in all a good day when I can beat Casey.

Big Horn 50 June 23, 2008

2008-06-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map
(The map is incomplete; the Garmin lost power at 46 miles).

My Big Horn 50 experience began with being "denied boarding" on my flight from LAX to Denver on the morning of June 22. The gate attendants were so frustrated with the overbooking that they refused to talk to those of us who were denied. When I called United, they told me they couldn't help me because I didn't have a denial of boarding form and thus couldn't prove that I wasn't just late to the gate. So, I debated just calling the whole thing off, but after my fourth call to United (all to somebody in India), I found somebody willing to believe me and I was routed to Sheridan, Wyoming. The problem was that when I made it to Denver for the connecting flight to Sheridan, I was denied boarding once again due to overbooking. United routed me to Billings, so I made it -- several hours late but I finally pulled into Sheridan to make the very last pre-racing briefing at the high school in Sheridan.

We boarded the bus in Dayton at 4:00 a.m. It was ominously warm. One hour later we arrived at the Dry Fork aid station. The race route had been changed to avoid snow conditions at Porcupine Ranger Station, the normal start.

At 6:00 a.m. we started. I was in great shape; no injuries, but packing maybe 15 pounds I couldn't quite shed.

We descended from Dry Fork (7480') to Foot Bridge (4590'). I wasn't paying attention to the course route to know that I was going to have to make this ascent, and that we were in an out and back.

The descent was fierce and my toes were getting jammed. My feet were wet from all the river crossings, and I discovered that socks that I thought were synthetic were actually 50% cotton. My socks were getting bunched up. The more tired I got the more I tended to stub my toes on the rocks; my new shoes are not all that well armored.

Fortunately, I had followed my brother Dave's advice and had synthetic socks waiting for me at Foot Bridge in my drop bag. That was all I had in my drop bag. I made the change and off I was on the climb back to Dry Fork. My feet felt a whale of a lot better with the new socks.

The ascent was horrific. It was warm. During this ascent I began to hang with the runners I would be passing and who would pass me, over and over again, all the way to the end of the race. After chowing down a sandwich at Foot Bridge, I had grinding nausea the rest of the race as the ascent came down to steady plodding up the mountain in warm temperatures.

My one major physical weakness -- a weak back -- began to plague me. My back gets sore in an extended ascent. All I need is a mile or two of a descent to stretch it out, but this particular ascent had me yelping in pain.

Finally, I arrived back at the top at Dry Fork. It was a very exposed ridge, but we were favored with thunder clouds and slightly dropping temperatures. At the aid station I stayed only briefly, and heard comments from the volunteers that a couple of the runners who preceded me were dropping out as a result of the effects of the climb. I saw one fellow in his thirties surrounded by his wife and two kids.

I blasted out of the station, passing in the aid station about 5 runners who had been in front of me but couldn't bring themselves to leave the station. One of them caught me about 10 miles later and we joked about how hard it was for him to catch me, but away he went and I never saw him again.

Between Upper and Lower Sheep Creek I passed many runners. Most, but not all, were 100-milers who were walking. One woman I passed recognized me from Leona Divide 50. (The ultrathon crowd is truly small.)

Other than a few fierce climbs I steeled myself to run and never stopped.

I looked at my time and started worrying. This was the toughest 50-miler I had ever run, and it was apparent that I was going to be 2 hours longer than my best 50-mile time on Antelope Island.

Between Lower Sheep Creek and Tongue River (45 miles) was a tough ridge to climb and then a grinding descent of many miles. I passed several runners, but was passed by one runner with whom I had been dueling for 20 miles. He passed me and was out of sight by a mile or more. My descent skills lacked something.

But, at the bottom along the Tongue River I caught him! I was pretty happy and he was pretty sad to see me go.

At the Tongue River aid station, my brother Dave was there to greet me! He had finished his 100 miles several hours before (I was still passing 100-milers on the run). Aid station workers sprayed me down with a hose. It was 90 degrees. The last 5 miles was on the road in sizzling heat. My brother followed along in his car.

I was in great shape -- no injuries; no tendonitis. A few blisters but nothing significant I ran well the last 5 miles and caught and passed a runner I had been dueling with for 5 miles. I caught him at the footbridge in Dayton near the finish.

I finished in Dayton at 12:13:35, fifth in my age class. The winner of my age class beat me by two and one-half hours. My brother was there to cool me down to make sure I didn't pass out, but I had been carefully taking my salt tablets during the race and drinking more than usual, so I had no problems with low blood pressure.

I hung out with my brother's race friends. Matt teased me about my blog. Said my picture made me deceptively young. Matt, some day you'll pay for that slight.

The scenery was amazing, but unfortunately I lost my camera at the first aid station. Oh well.

The Big Horn race volunteers and organizers were wonderful. So nice; so cheerful. This is really the way a race should be run. They had medical personnel at the major aid stations, making sure each of us was capable of going on.

Then it was up again at 2:00 a.m. to make my flight in Billings, and then back to Church to run my ward as an LDS bishop for the day. I was beat. My seventeen-year-old daughter teased me for falling asleep on the stand during Sacrament meeting. And then a couple of emergencies later in the day in my role as "transient bishop," where I attempted to take care of the homeless in my stake boundaries.

So, once again at mile 17 I vowed never to run again, but today on Monday I look forward to the next one. No muscle soreness. I have a jammed toe which makes it painful to walk, but nothing more.

Three Days Before Wyoming

2008-06-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

And there is three feet of snow at the start of the 50 mile run. And I'm told that the end of the run is hot. I just hope the trail is wide enough the entire way to accommodate my wheelchair.

Musings Before Big Horn 50

2008-06-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Today is Father's Day, June 16, 2008, six days before I have to run the Bighorn 50.

Some thoughts on being a father. I'm lousy at it. But, I have the greatest kids one could possibly imagine.

Some thoughts on the Bighorn 50. This time I am injury free, but I weigh about 5 pounds more than I did for Leona Divide. I guess I'll prefer the pain-free run.

The flights to an obscure place in Wyoming are a bear. I'm not a true ultrathon go-getter and so the logistics of a run in the Big Horn mountains tear a big hole in my schedule. But, I look forward to the scenery. My brother Davy says he'll be finishing the 100 at the same time I finish the 50 so I'll look forward to seeing him there. I saw him yesterday -- he's almost my build exactly but has 15 fewer pounds. He does it right.

I'm tapering down. I'll do a 12-mile run on Monday and then it will be just a few little runs here and there.

Say it Isn't True, Alex

2008-06-12T07:24:00.001-07:00

Today is a bad day for my hero.

June 7, 2000 Run

2008-06-07T11:56:00.001-07:00

Today's training run was one of the finest I have ever done. It was one of my longer routes.

I whipped my Suzuki GXR into a high speed to the trailhead. I love its light weight and handling.

I then ascended the Newhall Beast (Manzanita Peak, a peak in the Angeles Mountain Range, a range between the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley) and descended the single track into Walker Ranch. Once in Walker Ranch it was a run through the canyon to Placerita Nature Reserve, and then another 2 miles on the road through Placerita Canyon back to the trailhead where I parked my GXR.

I encountered two friends on bikes on my ascent, one was my son-in-law and the other a member of my LDS ward whom I sometimes ride with, a former BYU wide receiver.

I have made this 14 mile run before without water or food, but this time because I started later in the day (7:00 a.m.) I hydrated frequently and downed some gel. It was great.

The last few miles through Placerita Canyon listening to my favorites Dire Straits and Def Leppard, and thinking about the brief I have to file on Monday in the California Supreme Court and the argument I have make in the Ninth Circuit in a few weeks was the greatest; euphoric. Life is worth it! Running is an incomparable experience! See the discussion of the Ninth Circuit case I'm handling here.

I got back on my GXR and whipped through heavy traffic, held a short business meeting at home and then started to pass out. Low blood pressure once again -- I passed out for a long time after Leona Divide. Dang it. I love it.

I then took my bicycle for an ascent of East Canyon, a tough and grinding ascent to a water tank peak that gives a view of the Los Angeles San Fernando basin, a peak in the Santa Susanna Mountain Range -- about three miles up and 1800 feet gain. I was lacking in the 80 degree heat, lacking big time in a bike ascent I do all the time. Losing consciousness once again at the rests. Weak and old, is all I can say.

Memorial Day Run -- 27.3 Miles

2008-05-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

Duration: 4 hours, 50 minutes
Length: 27.3 miles
Vertical up: 7722.8 ft
Vertical down: 6978.4 ft
Average speed: 5.6 mph

This was my Memorial Day training run. I ascended both Mentryville/Pico Canyon and the Towsley Canyon trails.

Mentryville is an historic site in California.

There were very few hikers and bikers on the Mentryville/Pico Canyon trail. It isn't as pretty as Towsley Canyon. I passed by a 1958 plaque honoring the first oil well in California. The plaque -- 50 years old -- said the pump was still operating, but in 2008 almost all of the oil field equipment has been removed.

My goal was to take the trail off the top of Pico Canyon (at the Odeen oil platform) down into Towsley Canyon, but it had changed since I saw it in the winter. The descending trail was covered with heavy brush and it was the middle of tick season. I spoke to a hiker at the Odeen platform who knew the trail and he said it is impassible in the spring and summer. I'll try again in the winter.

I then ran back down Pico Canyon. A runner who had just run to Thompson Park, only somewhat up from the trailhead. passed me and I struggled for about 2 miles to keep up. Running back up the Old Road to the Towsley Canyon trail head, I did the outer and inner loops. I ran into old friends making a day out of the hike. There were lots of hikers on the trail.

With little food (only two breakfast bars), it was a struggle. But, I didn't bonk! I'm ready for Wyoming.

Deb's Garden

2008-05-23T14:04:00.001-07:00

Here are pix of part of Deb's garden. As usual, it is quite amazing this time of year.

Round Trip Home to Towsley Canyon Park

2008-05-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Duration: 2 hours, 18 minutes, 39 seconds
Length: 12 miles
Vertical up: 3702.9 ft
Vertical down: 3628.8 ft
Average speed: 5.2 mph

This typical round trip run from my home to Towsley Canyon runs both the outer and inner loops there. Towsley Canyon (or Ed Davis Park) is a locally-famous mountain biker's park, but there are many runners like me on the trail. The trail head is immediately to the west of I-5, on the Old Road. The trail head is about two miles from my home; everything east of I-5 is boring road running.

The outer loop is about five miles, and the inner loop is about 1.5 miles. The inner loop still has one of the species signs my son Sean put up for his eagle project 10 years ago. There were four others but they were wiped out in the fire in this canyon about three years ago.

The west side of the outer loop consists of some very tough switchbacks. When I was in my biking days, I biked the trail only once without having to leave my pedals.

I've run this four times this week, mountain biking it a fifth day. It was raining May 23 and 24, 2008 and I emerged from the trail completely drenched. The 24th was in the low 50s -- cold.

The flowers are still blooming. It is really wonderful.

My injuries from Leona Divide have almost disappeared. I have an annoying "shoelace" tendinitis on one foot. My 14-month nerve injury in my neck that has numbed and very slightly disabled (don't like to hand write because it hurts and can't be read; can only weight lift at 80% of my left) my right arm and hand persists, but I otherwise raring to go.

Malibu Creek Run May 2008

2008-05-11T10:32:00.001-07:00

A 6-K. Deb, Casey and I ran it. I came in fifth in my age group, only a few seconds off of second place. However, with the numbness in my right arm due to a nerve injury of 14 months, I can't handwrite my name very well on the entry form. Deb, running on a stress fracture as crazy as it sounds, came in eighth.

My son's birthday!

2008-05-04T18:23:00.001-07:00

My sixth son, Owen, is 10 years old today! We love Owen.