Running Weekend Well Wishes

While I will be running elsewhere this weekend, I want to take a moment to wish all of my running pals bon chance in this weekend's various races. In particular, a shout out to the closest thing I have to a regular running buddy, Chris Ford (who I'm sure will appreciate being referred to as a 'thing'). Chris is going for a medal (to add to his medal drawer - no kidding) in the Kansas Half Marathon on Sunday. Also, heartfelt best-wishes to Indi, who is going for a substantially longer run at Free State this Saturday (tomorrow). You've trained for it, Indi. Now go out there and enjoy it. I'll give a report on sand between my toes, and side stepping Portuguese man-o-wars next week. And don't forget to check out Scott Jurek's new book. It got (and here's a surprise) a glowing review in one of the trail magazines. And honestly, it probably deserves it.

Weather Watching and Running Ruminations

I'm sitting in the dining area of my house. It is a nice place, just off of the kitchen, with south facing sliding doors that lead out to the back yard, and beyond that, Free State High School. In the sky above the school, clouds sail past. Today is a time for vigilance. It is one of two times in history that the National Weather Service has issued a dire warning about violent storms and tornadoes over a day in advance of the event(s). Honestly, I'm not sure I like having that much warning. It gives the inhabitants of the designated areas too much time to ruminate over the day's potential outcomes. Give me a couple of hours notice instead. I can move make my plan and call friends and family to ensure that they are aware as well.

So, to get the weather out of my synaptic passages, Chris Ford and I popped over to the River Trails and knocked down the 8.5 mile loop. I had planned to head right back out and do it again, but ended up chatting until I had cooled off too much to want to tackle the trail again. Chris is getting ready to kick out a really fast KS 1/2 marathon run next week. He wanted a decent run at a mellow speed to start his week of taper. So we did a pretty easy 9 min/mi pace. No snakes on this jaunt, but we did get buzzed by a huge owl, saw a blue heron take off, and ran around a bunch of frogs on the trail. All in all a lovely morning run. I finished the week at 35 miles.

I grabbed a pair of Merrell Barefoot kicks at Gary Gribbles after the run. As everyone knows, I am not a minimalist guy when it comes to running shoes. But the Merrells are really comfortable and look great. So I went with style over substance, eschewing a more comfortable pair of Nike Frees in favor of the Barefoots.

Now a brief interruption: Last week I put up the longest post I've ever written. Thanks to all who read through it and emailed me. I realize the post was nutty long, but it needed to be. I will try to keep them to a more manageable length in the future.

Speaking of that... So as part of the Cal running experience, I did knock out a 4-5 mi run through Palm Springs' main drag during my stay. Since it is a desert oasis and gay mecca, I thought I'd see a lot of people out in the early a.m. Oddly, that didn't happen. I pretty much cruised down the town's main drag alone. At the same hour in Vegas, you'd be trampled by runners (a very counter-intuitive thing that I discovered a few years ago). There were even more in places like P-town. Very odd...

Anyway, the PS run was fast, because most of that burg is flat. It really was great to see everything looking crisp and clean. Breathing was no issue, because the desert is dry and the town isn't high above sea level. Back in LA the next day, I had an odd asthma attach on the Griffith Park run. I got over it. But it did give me pause.
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A couple of documentaries everyone should see:

Bully - the new doc out in limited cities at the moment, but expanding. It is very moving.

The Cove - I finally got up the courage to watch the outrage perpetrated on dolphins by the Japanese. It makes me glad that my credit card gives bank to the Sea Shepherds every time I use it.

Until next week (or I feel like posting again) - run for pondering, pleasure, or purpose.

A Pilgrimage of Sorts

The lovely Griffith Park Observatory - Exactly 2.5 miles of running from where this picture is taken.

In life, I rarely get to do what I really want to do. I think that holds true for most people as well. We go to jobs that we don't like much in order to buy things that we don't really need, but which we have convinced ourselves that we can't live without. Most of us in this position have at least evolved to the point where we work to live. I'm always sad for people who live to work, because it usually (but not always, as my friend, Alyssa, pointed out) means that something is lacking in their home or personal life that they would choose work over family and friends. And I envy the lucky few (and there really are very few) who truly love their jobs. These few usually have great family and friends supporting them as well.

Last week, I got to do something that I had wanted to do for a long time. In truth, I only knew that I wanted to do part of what I did. But as the days unfolded, what I received was even better than what I had initially planned. I had felt mild trepidation at the commencement of my undertaking, but fell into a near ecstasy as I went deeper into the journey.

Here's how it all began:

I had booked a flight to LA to spend some time with my buddy, Roger. We see each other quite a few times each year; usually several times in LA, and once in Lawrence at either Xmas or Thanksgiving. I'm kind of adopted into his extended family, and spend time with them (particularly his aunt and uncle who live about 100 yards from me in Lawrence). Rog lives in the guest house of someone you would have heard of in the Hollywood Hills, exactly 2.5 miles as the winding roads travel from the Griffith Park Observatory (which is always visible about 3/4 of a mile away as the crow flies). The GPO run is one I have written about many times on this blog. It begins with a steep .5 mi downhill, followed by 2 mi directly uphill. The return trip is the reverse. It is a brutal, yet beautiful run through, what feels like, countryside, even while in the heart of North America's largest city. After a few days my shins are splinting, and my knees are waiving the white flag. Yet I embrace the run as one would one's ugly baby. It is mine, and I love it despite its faults.

As it turned out, a couple of weeks before my visit, a tragedy occurred in Rog's life. It was a good time to go and support him. We discussed what he might want to do. A while ago, we had driven out into the high desert to a state park to look out over hundreds of acres of poppy fields. It had been a pretty spectacular sight. Rog thought that a trip like that might be a good idea. I thought so as well. Get out of the city, and get his mind off of what had happened. I also suggested the Salton Sea, with an outside possibility of Salvation Mountain, and an even more outside possibility of visiting a place called Slab City.

When I arrived in LA, Rog graciously picked me up at LAX (and it was gracious, because picking people up at LAX sux). It was super late on a Thursday night. We drove along the interstate through light traffic. We passed the closed entrance of Griffith Park and headed up into the hills. But honestly, I don't remember too much more. I had been up since 5 a.m. CST, and it all seems a blur.

Friday arrived with a cloud nestled (I'm not sure if I like that word) in between the hills. It almost seemed to be drizzling because the air was so, ummm pregnant, with moisture. Rog isn't a big runner, but his is seriously fit. He said that he would bike along next to me while I did the GPO run. We popped the run/bike ride in about 44 minutes. We stopped at Trails - a stunning outdoor cafe at the base of the park for vegan and vegetarian fare.

The rest of the morning was spent running errands, stopping by Rog's studio, and hanging out. Lunch was at the wonderful vegan eatery, Green Leaves. We spent the afternoon at the pool, house, and studios of James and Moritz. There were a few others there as well, including Rog's great friend,Doug. James and Doug were working on some costume pieces that you will soon see in an upcoming episode of a popular TV show. We chatted poolside, drank a little wine, had some tortilla chips, got some takeout, and then called it a night.

Back at Rog's place, we decided to wake up early (a very relative term where Roger is concerned), and head to the Salton Sea. Roger called an industry friend, who's working on a movie you would've heard about, and set up a place for us to stay in Palm Springs for the night on our way home from the Salton Sea. So, 'early' the next morning we departed.

To get to the Salton Sea from LA, you head to Palm Springs and turn south towards the Mexican border. The drive is both ugly and spectacular. The highway heads through some seriously industrial areas (one place in particular had a huge American flag oddly planted on the top of an enormous mountain of rubble and detritus), over a mountain pass, by a casino or two, and then opens up into a valley where the drive down takes you through the largest array of wind turbines on planet earth. It is really spectacular.

At last we reached the Salton Sea. Coming upon the Sea was somewhat emotional for me. It was a place that I had wanted to visit for years (since hearing about it sometime in my 20s). The Sea has been around for millennia as a dry lake bed, as well as both fresh and salt water inland seas during different periods of time. Its current state, as a salt water body, measuring 35 miles by 15 miles, was created by accident in 1905, when canals and gates designed to bring water from the Colorado River into the dry 'Salton Sink,' failed. For 18 months,the Colorado River stopped flowing in its normal course, and flowed only into the Sink, creating what we know as the Salton Sea. The current Sea is smaller than some that have preceded it in the same location. The, much larger, Cahuilla Lake is known to have existed through both archaeological sites and oral traditions (Cahuilla Lake, named after the indigenous population is known to have supported a community of up to 10,000 Cahuilla people. Today there are only 3,000 descendants).



The Salton Sea was a huge tourist attraction in the 1950s, and continued to be so through the 70s, when a couple of back-to-back storms devastated the region and destroyed much of the development around the Sea. The Sea, which sits at 227 ft below sea level, is about 30% saltier than the ocean. It used to be home to many different species of fish, but now only supports the hearty tilapia, of which there are some 400M in the Sea. Tilapia corpses, in fact, litter the coastline of the Salton Sea. The number of them is shocking. And as you wander along the beach, you begin to realize that much of the 'sand' upon which you trod is actually tilapia skeletal materials. There is a great ranger station, facilities, camping, boat launch, and kayak rentals in the Sea's welcome center. There are also other access points, including the semi-deserted town of Bombay Beach.


Roger along the banks of the Salton Sea.

Leaving the beach area, we drove for miles alongside the Sea. We passed a spa, a scary-looking border patrol checkpoint, and the town of Niland, CA (more on Niland coming up). From Niland, we turned left off the highway and proceeded up an increasingly deteriorating road into the desert.

I want to take a moment to comment about my love for the desert. While I like nature in most of its forms, I feel most comfortable in a high or low desert environment. I prefer desert to forest, stark to lush, barren to bountiful. I don't know why, but put me out in the middle of nowhere, and I am most at ease.

So I was feeling pretty good with my surroundings as we came upon a place I thought I might never live to see, Salvation Mountain. For those who don't know, Salvation Mountain is the result of 30 years of tireless work by a man named Leonard Knight. The mountain has been featured in documentaries, news articles, and even the wonderful film, Into The Wild. The mountain is built to praise God, and bring God's love to people. Over the years, Leonard has used over 60,000 gallons of paint to create and maintain the monument. As Rog and I walked across the sand and dirt to get a better look at the mountain, a man approached us in a friendly manner and began to tell us about the history of the place. He also informed us that Leonard had been ill since December, and hadn't been back to view his work until today. He pointed to an old man who I instantly recognized as Leonard, sitting on the tailgate of an old pickup under a makeshift awning. The man kept telling me to go speak with Leonard, and I kept saying that I really had nothing to say to him. Finally, Rog suggested that I go over and shake his hand, and he (Roger) would take a picture.

What ensued was an amazing encounter, much of it video recorded (I will try to get it posted at some later date. I am unable to load it at the moment). I walked over and introduced myself. I sat down in a chair next to the tailgate, and thus began a conversation between an art-loving atheist (me), and a saint-like believer who had spent a major portion of his life eschewing comfort and possessions in his quest to glorify God. He said that he didn't want people to look at the mountain as art. He wanted them to see it as a message and an homage to God. I found it very difficult to view it (even in a religious context) as anything other than a fantastic piece of art. One thing that I loved about Leonard was his passion. I could see it so clearly in his watery blue eyes. His message was all about love, with no condemnation. I was a bit blown away to be next to someone who had that kind of passion - you simply don't encounter it very often. We talked about some other things as well, but I was a bit concerned about him. He still had on his medical bracelet, and his forearm began to bleed,seemingly on its own while we spoke. He handed me a couple of postcards as I was getting up. I was grateful to receive the gift. Rog and I made a donation to the fund to help the site, and then set off to walk on and into the great work.





Rog at Salvation Mountain

The mountain itself is rather fun to walk on. Since it sits in an incredibly harsh environment, over the years it has had a lot of coats of paint applied to its surfaces. The result is that the surface is slightly spongy, like a rubberized high school track. It is, in some ways, much like a grand cathedral. The main section of the mountain serves as the cathedral itself. But, and this is something I hadn't know about, off to the side, there are several small rooms, like chapels. These 'chapels' (my name for them, not Leonard's) are also painted and decorated, and are made of a combination of dirt, wood, paint, and hay bales. The moment we discovered these chapels and I entered the first, I had an odd ecstatic experience. I couldn't help but hold my arms outstretched and upward, with a big smile on my face. They were so beautiful (to me, at least), and so unexpected. Leonard's vision seemed so much more impressive. It didn't just address the grand scale, but allowed and encouraged personal reflection and contemplation.

We probably took a hundred pictures of Salvation Mountain. I have only posted a couple here for brevity's sake. I know that Leonard might disagree with my description of the mountain, but it really is an amazing place to visit, whether you look upon the site as art or as an offering of praise to God. I look upon it as an incredible, and ultimately (unless serious efforts are undertaken to preserve it) transitory work of artistic genius that I was fortunate enough to see in the course of my life.

Before Rog and I departed, a woman as well as the man that we first spoke to, stopped us and asked if we would be interested in going to an end-of-season formal at a famous outdoor 'club' in nearby Slab City called The Range. As it turned out, the Winter population of Slab City leave as April begins. To celebrate this, the city's residents have an annual formal. We declined their offer politely, because we had evening plans in Palm Springs. But I can't say how touched I was to have been extended an invitation to their event. As you have noticed, it is very easy when faced with the Salton Sea, Salvation Mountain, and Slab City, to write or speak of them in an ironic way. But that would be doing them, as well as the writer a serious disservice. But even as we were walking back to the car, we were invited to partake in the hot springs just outside the entrance. If we needed swimming suits, they had a bunch they would provide, or we could go naked. We decided to go into Slab City first, and then think about hitting the springs on the way out.







We entered Slab City, not without a little trepidation. It is a place that is seriously off the grid. It has a sketchy reputation. It is what remains of an old military base. When the buildings were razed, the slabs remained. Some of the residents live in the city year round. Some are very transitory. Others live there all year and work to make the place a good place to live - removing trash, creating a members website for inhabitants and supporters of the place, creating bulletin boards (both physical and electronic), creating clubs, nightclubs, and a real sense of community. There are no facilities (ie plumbing, sanitation, electricity...), so each resident has to be pretty self-sufficient. There is a couple who live in the city who sell and install solar panels. Most of the supplies - food, water, booze, etc... have to be brought in from nearby Niland, CA.



The Range - Slab City's wonderful nightclub.

We had been treated well by the people from Slab City that we met at Salvation Mountain. And, while we didn't stop and speak to anyone else in Slab City, we did get a few friendly waves. We saw some art cars, some wonderfully decorated trailers and sites on the main drag, the old guard house that now welcomes visitors (pictured above), and the wonderful Slab City sign and bulletin board (also pictured above). We passed the non-denominational church that would hold services the next day. And we passed people camping in tents. It was all very moving. A community comprised of pensioners, misfits, probably a good number of drug addicts (if the film link below is to be believed), drifters, dreamers, outlaws, and wanderers; all living together off the grid and giving life to a place in one of the harshest environments the US has to offer.

I spent the day thinking that it is so much more interesting to read about what happens after Eden, than what happens in Eden. Slab City embodied the thought. It certainly wasn't Eden, but it was a damn sight more interesting.

On our way out, we paused by the hot springs, but opted out. It was getting pretty warm, and we needed some food and water for the trip back to Palm Springs. We pulled back into the town of Niland. Niland may have been the weirdest place we experienced on that March 31st. The town seemed to me to be the most impoverished place I had ever been in the US. It was a town of run-down houses as trailers. It had some businesses along strange frontage roads along the highway. By saying 'frontage road,' I'm making it seem more developed than it is. We grabbed lunch at one of the town's cafe's, Bobby D's, because it said that it offered salads. As we entered, we experienced the thing that happens in movies where every single person in the place stopped what they were doing and stared at us. But quickly a harsh-looking guy (Bobby D?) told us to sit wherever we liked. He was surprisingly soft-spoken. He took our orders, made perfectly fine salads, and charged us very reasonable rates for the food we consumed. While we were eating, we looked at the photos on the walls of the cafe. They were mainly pictures of the area during the terrible flood in 1905 that created the Salton Sea. Houses and railway trestles were inundated and swept away. It made me think that, in some cases, it was probably a bit like what we saw with the Japanese Tsunami tidal waves of last year. Except in the case of the Sea, there were few photographers and limited technology on hand with which to record the disaster.

As we drove out of Imperial County and the Salton Sea recreation area, I actually felt as if something had changed. There was so much desolation, but at the same time so much beauty. I had met and connected with someone that I could only describe as a truly holy man. I had been in his cathedral that was every bit as impressive (and in some ways more impressive) than the greatest cathedrals in the world. I had seen the fabled Sea; a triumphant creation spawned by a disaster, that now is again slowly fading away. I got to see one of the great off-the-grid spontaneous and diverse communities in existence today. And I got to do it all with one of my greatest friends in a time of sorrow. To paraphrase Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp), who visited Salvation Mountain and Slab City before his ill-fated trip to Alaska, and subsequent posthumous fame in the book and movie, Into the Wild: 'happiness is only real when it is shared.'

I will write more about Palm Springs and running there, back in LA, and a great week of runs in Lawrence when I return to the regular format next week. Please check out these websites for more information about places listed in this post.

http://artistforlandscapes.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/the-salton-sea/#comments
http://www.vice.com/americana/slab-city
http://www.slabcity.org
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=639

Dystopian Post + Project Runway Spoiler Alert (If you haven't seen the final episode)

I might have a longer post later. I'm heading out the door for a 10 miler with monster runner, Chris Ford.

Random thought: Have you read or heard a movie review this week where the word 'dystopian' wasn't used? Seriously, I'm so over that word and the pretension with which reviewers use it.

Best thing for the week: Mondo wins Project Runway Allstars. He should've won it the last time around as well...

Best run of the week: Indi - who did a 31 mi training run. WTF?!?! That is awesome! You go, girl!

Ciao for now.

Random Thoughts, Mizuno Update, RFF (request for film)

I'm going to attempt to keep this post brief (for once). I got in a bit of running last week with a few 4-5 mile days followed by an 8.5 mi river run yesterday. The cold that had hit me in Newport refused to relinquish its hold on me. So other than the longer run, most of the shorter runs were unpleasant maintenance ordeals. I'm heading out in a few minutes to knock out another 8.5-10 miles on the river trails with Chris Ford, who is actually seriously training to try to again medal in the Kansas Half Marathon in April (I'm his long run buddy - in shorter runs I just stare at his heels as he moves off in the distance (Not true. He waits for me - lol)). Anyway, Chris really is looking to add to the mounting hardware in his medal drawer (wouldn't it be nice to have to have a drawer dedicated to holding one's medals?).

I saw the documentary, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead a few weeks ago. On Friday I started a 7-10 day juice fast. It isn't really a fast, though. I really do consume about the same amount of calories that I normally would. They (the calories) are just in liquid form. And, since they come from massive amounts of veggies, fruits, and spices, with no added fats or processing, they seem to interact with the body differently. Yesterday, for instance, I did the run in the a.m., did yard work in the afternoon, and then popped over to the pool to do 3/4 mi in the H2O. I felt as good or better than I normally do. Time will tell, but this morning, I'm up and ready to tackle another decent distance.

I want to give a product update - I have now trod through a lot of miles over varying surface and conditions in my Mizuno Wave Ascend 6s. I had my doubts that I would like them better than my old Cascadias. But I must declare the Mizunos to be the best trail shoes I've ever had. What makes them the best? For one, they are the grippiest pair of shoes I've tried. The tread really digs in to minimize slides on slippery surfaces. Second, they feel incredibly light and airy, yet still offer protection. I smacked into a stump with the front of my right shoe yesterday. I thought that there's be blood when I removed the shoes after the run. Honestly, I couldn't even see a little bruise. So the shoes' weight doesn't seem to diminish its ruggedness noticeably.

Finally, a request: Does anyone have a copy of Unbreakable that they would lend or sell used? I keep hearing about this documentary, but haven't seen it (I missed the KC showing). Let me know if you do.

Sharkies and Celebs in the OC

Newport Beach - Back Bay

So I spent the past week in Orange County, CA. The OC is not one of my favorite spots in the world. It is trafficky, crowded, vapid, plastic, a bit to ostentatious, and (more than a bit) too Republican. I usually get stuck for a week in the nation's biggest parking lot - Anaheim. But this year was a bit different. Marisa and I spent our non-working hours at the home of our co-worker's parents in Newport Beach. Alyssa (our co-worker) grew up in Newport's Back Bay area. She and her parents were excellent hosts, and allowed us to see all that is Orange through fresh eyes.

I was able to get out and run several mornings before being smacked around a bit by a cold that settled in on day 4. The Back Bay has paved and dirt trails that skirt its edges. The trails are surprisingly hilly. As you enter the trails, there is a smell like fresh tea. Marisa told me what plant created the aroma, but I promptly forgot it. Along the way, you can see a lot of rabbits, numerous types of birds, and if you're lucky, a bobcat.

We were in the So. Cal region in order to run our company's booth at Natural Products Expo West - the largest natural products show in the world. This was my 19th year of working the show, and my first working to introduce the World's Best Veggie Burger to the world. Since it is LA proximate, we saw and met some people everyone would know. Fabio had a booth promoting whey and colostrum protein. He actually looked really good, and spent long hours with everyone who wanted to talk about his product. The wonderful Marilu Henner stopped by our booth twice in order to eat our burgers and chat. There is a picture of Marisa and I with Marilu on the Hilary's Eat Well Facebook page. She is really committed to natural, organic, and vegan/vegetarian work. Dean Karnazes was there to promote something, as was Brendan Brazier with Vega.

I ran into Scott Jurek after hours at a vegan eatery in Costa Mesa. He was hanging out with an acquaintance of mine who works for Flora - the company that sells Udo's 3-6-9 oil blend that Scott uses. I had run with him one morning last year (which had been a thrill). I told Scott that I was glad to see him in one piece after the accident. He mentioned that he is looking for a new car.

Finally, I stopped by the Sharkies booth. Sharkies makes fantastic vegan, organic,energy sports chews. I mentioned to their sales director how much I liked their products, and she handed me a case. I'm heading out on a long run today, and plan to take a packet of them with me. If you haven't tried them, you should. They are really tasty, with a good texture, and natural energy. I am a real fan of companies that offer vegan sports products like Sharkies, Vega, and Flora. If you are looking for energy chews, post-workout protein, or essential oils, I would recommend Sharkies, Vega Sport Vanilla protein powder, and Flora's Udo's 3-6-9 Oil Blend. You won't go wrong with any of them.

And finally, finally - I have been reading Truman Capote's Answered Prayers. I've read almost all of his works, but had not picked one up in a while. I had forgotten what a truly remarkable writer he was. The book (unfinished though it is) is so thoughtful and moving. If you are looking for something that you will enjoy, yet will also make you think, check out a copy at your local library.

Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything's right

My new(only worn once)Mizuno Wave Ascends

What a week of wascawy wunning (think Elmer Fudd). Anyway, it was a week of new experiences. My running buddy and confirmed sadistic bastard, Chris Ford, invited me to go with him to a training session at Therapy Works Sports Acceleration, Sports Performance Center AKA - Athletic Republic. It started off in a rather benign manner; chill little warm-up movements in a carpeted room, followed by 10 minutes at an 8:15 pace on a treadmill. Then we crossed the room to a pretty serious-looking treadmill that required going up a small flight of stairs in order to mount. The super-treadmill (my designation) could tilt at least 45 degrees, and could reach speeds of up to 40 mph. In order to get on it, I had to stand next to it, holding a bar, and touch its surface with the near foot until I got the feel for how fast it was going. I then just sort of jumped on and began running for 40 seconds at a time. The trainer stood right next to, and slightly behind, in order to assist in case of a fall.

The machine was at a pretty good angle, and I reckon that the speed was somewhere in the 6:00 - 6:15 pace. I did a series of three or four of those. It seemed easy for the first two rounds, and then it began to suck. Chris thought I was going along pretty well until I bent over and grabbed my knees after the third pass on the machine. It seemed to go on and on for the better part of an hour. By the end, I was just doing 15 second bursts at a 5:15 pace. And for an old, ummm strike that, well-seasoned runner like me, 5:15 on a bit of an incline is pretty much flat out.

Chris, meanwhile, was doing some ridiculous long bursts, including 3 x 2minute sprints at the end. He took a bit of time between the sprints to suck in as much air as he could. He looked a bit like he was hating it (which certainly made me feel better). His session is what I have to look forward to doing in a few weeks should I choose to stay with the program. And I do plan to go forward with it. The running session ended with another 10 minute cool down run which we completed on the roads outside the building. Chris stayed to work a bit more on his core. Since I had begun my day with a mile swim, I figured that my core was fine. I went home, and was out cold by 9 pm.

I had scheduled a run for Thursday with Eric 'Banjo Hawk' Henry and John Hampton Tyson II. We were just planning to do a 5 mile loop on the River Trail after work. As we left the parking lot, I could tell instantly that the run was gonna suck. And it did. For five miles. I just didn't have it in the legs. They really, really hurt and felt leaden. Eric and Jack went as slow as they could stand, and I just trailed along. It may have been the most continuously painful run I have ever done start to finish. The training session had given my muscles a very different type of workout than they were used to, and they were pointing that out to me in an emphatic manner.

The next day, Friday, I figured I had better get out early and do a recovery run. I opted to risk the rain and snow and just go for 2-2.5 mi. outside. I took it slow and easy, and finished the run with minimal difficulty. I wrote my two trail companions from the day before and proposed a Lands End jaunt for Saturday morning. They both readily agreed. So at 9 this morning, we set out on a very muddy Clinton North Shore run. I had on my never before worn, Mizuno Wave Ascends. All the pain I had felt on Thursday had evaporated like money in a Florida home mortgage. I felt just shy of a hundred percent, but better than I had felt in days. The new kicks performed wonderfully - no blisters or irritations. The stability felt great, as did the unreal grip the sole pattern exhibited. I have always liked the look (in particular) and the feel of my Brooks Cascadias. But just from my initial run, I would deem the Mizunos the better shoe for my current needs. Since they are soaking wet, I haven't been able to really tell, but I bet the Ascends are lighter than the Cascadias as well. I feel a bit disloyal, because the Cascadias have, and will continue to serve me well. But my new go-to trail tramplers will be the Mizunos.

Tomorrow I'll be working the Hawks' Pi Day Run. If you want to knock out a seriously fast trail half-marathon, this is your race. I have some super nice runs planned for next week. I also have another training session. And, in all seriousness, I'm thrilled that Chris found this place. It is really amazing. The follow up post to this one will probably be in 9-10 days. So, until then....