Northwest Trail Running and Other Pursuits of Endurance

McKinnick Trail - Sandpoint, Idaho...Break out the Sheet Metal Screws!

2014-01-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

I ran up at Mckinnick Trail this morning. Lots of snow and lots of ice! My buddy Matt had a great idea for running up there this time of year.

As you can see from the above picture, I simply put some sheet metal screws around the outside edges of my shoe. I have 7 screws in each shoe. I went with my old Saucony Kinvaras which still had some decent tread left. The screws worked better than the Yak-Traks I was using previously.

Dosewallips and I at the turnaround.

Matt carefully working his way down another icy patch.

Green Mountain Via Lebers Lane

2014-01-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I have run 10 more days in a row to hit 18 in a row total. Is is becoming habit forming as of yet? I tend to think I am getting close!

We really enjoyed our trip to Western Washington. While there we ran up at Green Mountain. We hit mainly logging roads and entered on the east side of the mountain at the Lebers Lane Trailhead. We ran roughly 8 miles and enjoyed the varied terrain.

Michelle and I hit the turnaround and a posed for a quick picture. On a sunny day views can be had of the Hood Canal and Olympic Mountain range.

It was really nice to run somewhere without the snow and the ice! Felt good and could relax a bit more.

I go back to work end of this week. Hoping I can find a way to keep my streak alive! I will check back in when I hit my 25th day in a row.

Day Number 8- German Short-Haired Pointer Gone Wild

2013-12-22T11:34:00.001-08:00

Ran in the woods for my eighth day in a row this morning. As you can see, my dog Dosewallips approves of the new routine!

Pend Oreille Bay Trail - Day Number Five

2013-12-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

I ran five miles today with my daughters in honor of day number 5 of my streak. I ran on the beautiful Pend Oreille Bay Trail. A beautiful evening for a run with my daughters. Parking at City Beach in Sandpoint is within a nice warm-up of the trail.

My daughters waiting to run. They usually get a bit annoyed with pictures. That is Lake Pend Oreille in the background.

A shot along the bay trail.

Heading back to the warmth of the car. It was about 28 degrees out with a snow storm on the way tomorrow. Should be fun getting my run in!

Day 4 - Running Streak?

2013-12-18T19:14:00.002-08:00

Okay, the only reason I went running this evening was due to this notion of a running streak. I fully realize that 4 days isn't a big deal, but the point is "the streak" actually made me go out and move a bit! So, it was dark, snowy and a few days ago I spotted wolf tracks in the woods. Needless to say, I stayed away from the woods. I ran the minimum required by the national running registry to keep a streak going (1 mile). LAME?! No, not really....it got me off of the couch with Dose into the brisk evening.

Just four days ago, I was unsure if I wanted to make any sort of commitment related to a running streak. It only took four days for me to think a streak may have some motivational merit.

Interesting Running Streak Links:

Huffington Post
New York Times Article - 30 Years!
33 Year Streak

The scene heading out the door this evening...snowy and dark.

Day 3 - Time for Traction

2013-12-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

Day number three today. Again, I am not making any commitments other than seeing if I can establish a habit this winter when it comes to my running. Usually, when I begin something like this I have a concrete goal in mind. This is actually a best practice when setting a goal, but related to running it hasn't always worked for me! Anyhow, it was Day 3.

I only ran 2.5 miles. I used a variation of the Yak Trax today because there is still a ton of ice on the trail. As far as distance is concerned, it is all I could fit in today, but figured exercise is exercise! My goal is to establish a good base so I can train for a fast half-marathon. I hope to run the Couer d'Alene Half-Marathon in May. My goal to run under 1:30. I think I can make it happen, as long as I stick with this during the winter.

I am amazed at some of the running streaks I have found online. I am actually pleased to get to 3 days in a row. I know, lame, but I have been running about 3 days a week with a longer run on the weekend. The challenge will be to string some days together. We shall see!

Check out the following sites:
Running Streak Registry
Jon Sutherland 44 year streak article

Enjoy!

Dose running past me going for some water!

Day 2 - Running in the Snow in North Idaho

2013-12-16T20:10:00.002-08:00

Okay, day number 2. I ran 3.9 miles with Michelle and Dosewallips. Dose kept running away and exploring. A good run in the woods. Lots of ice and snow on the path. We had to run slow to keep from sliding off the path and into the trees. We did see another set of wolf tracks. It is doubtful I will do any night running over the next few weeks in the woods.

Michelle finishing a fairly long climb. The snow is melting!

Day One - Winter Running with a German Short-Haired Pointer Named Dosewallips

2013-12-15T13:37:00.001-08:00

Day one today. Day one of what, I am not sure! There are many things that I do everyday including the following:

Read the news online
Brush my teeth
Get dressed
Read
Household chores
Work
Enjoy family

I was thinking while out on a run today and thought how would my life change if I added exercise daily to my routine? Usually I am more content, happier, and have a healthier outlook on everything after I run. Generally, I am a better person to be around. My family would probably agree. So today is day one of.....attempting to establish a habit....kind of like brushing my teeth.

Today I ran 3 miles. Very easy run, very enjoyable. I took the time to stop and look at the animal tracks and enjoy the surroundings. However, today is Sunday. I find it much more difficult to make the time for running during the week. This blog will allow for some accountability to the task!

Dosewallips coming back my way after running far ahead.

One of the simple pleasures of running in the winter time. You never know what beauty you will find waiting to be discovered.

Had to get a picture of this today. I was following a bloody paw print, then came along this large canine paw. You can see the outline of my size 11 foot next to the paw. It measured over five inches! We did hear some howling last night. A good chance this was a wolf. They frequent an area northeast of our house about 30 miles away.

Sunday Morning Run in Dover, Idaho

2013-10-15T19:24:00.001-07:00

Up in the hills above Dover Bay Resort Community

Got in a nice 14 mile run on Sunday morning. We ran a loop through the Dover Bay Resort Community and looped over to the Bike Path across Highway 2. From there we went into the Ravenwood Trails/Syringa Trails from the Blue Gate off of the bike path. All in all an absolutely beautiful morning. Funny how those long runs seem much shorter when running with good friends.

Today I ran Fartleks up in the Syringa Trails near my house. I am enjoying mixing some speed into my workouts. I feel like all the trail running over the last few years has given me a bit of a "trail shuffle". Will be running the Athol Half-Marathon in two weeks. I also plan on hitting a few road races as well in the next six months. Snow will hit soon and I need some motivation on the calendar to keep me running through the cold winter!

Swiftwick Pursuit - Compression Sock Review

2013-10-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

I wore compression socks for the first time on a long run at the Wild Moose Chase Trail Run up at the Mt. Spokane Nordic Trails a week ago. I haven't run without them since. I was having some terrible calf and foot cramps, along with general achille and calf pain in the weeks leading up to the race. I took the week off before the race and decided to give the Swiftwick Pursuit Compression socks a try on race day. I was expecting more pain, but was pleasantly surprised that I did not cramp up at all during the race and experienced only minor discomfort. A far cry from where I had been just a few days ago.

I am guessing the compression kept the swelling I was having at bay during the race. Race day was freezing, so the full length socks helped keep me plenty warm. If you haven't ever worn Merino Wool socks, you are in for a surprise if you try the Swiftwick Pursuit. The comfort is awesome and on a 2.5 hour run they did an amazing job keeping my feet dry. This is the first long run I have had in months without any blisters.

The crazy thing is that I am going to buy a pair of these to wear to work! They actually can pass for dress socks and will be good to wear on the mornings I do my long runs before work. I definitely recommend these socks and will be checking out the other Swiftwick Products.

Swiftwick Pursuit 12"

Wild Moose Chase 25K

2013-10-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Good times at the Wild Moose Chase 25K up at Mt. Spokane last weekend! We went up there with our friends Matt and Angie Brass. They are pictured above after collecting their awards for winning the race. They ran unbelievable races. The temperature at the start was around 35 degrees with cold rain and wasn't much warmer at the finish! Thankfully there was a wood stove blazing up at the Selkirk Lodge.

The race was a killer. Especially since I haven't been running enough to justify trying to run that far with that kind of elevation gain and loss. I was surprised at the number of long climbs, but I was happy to finish. Looking forward to running it again next year, with more miles and better training.

My wife Michelle won her age group as usual and ran an excellent race. I was impressed with how much steam she had up the last climb. It felt more like a scramble than a run for me at that point. Next up is the Athol Trail of Terror Half-Marathon!

Schweitzer Mountain Running

2013-09-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

What does it take to get motivated to do some blogging? A mountain run up at beautiful Schweitzer Mountain! Schweitzer Mountain is located in Sandpoint, Idaho. A place that I consider a trail running paradise.

Vickie and Michelle heading up Upper Grrr x-country trail. Fairly mellow climb overall.

The fall colors are coming right along. The red colored bushes are mountain huckleberries. Even though they are getting a bit over-ripe, they still provided a bit of nourishment on the 10 mile run.

This is Colburn Lake on the Backside of Schweitzer Mountain. Up to this point, I have only seen it in the winter via snowboarding. The dogs took a swim before we turned back around.

Michelle and Dose (wallips) heading back up the cat-track from Colburn Lake.

Getting ready to head back down the other side. Lake Pend Oreille can be seen in the background.

We have been in Sandpoint, Idaho for a year now. We are loving all it has to offer our family. Next week we will be running the Wild Moose Chase 25K up at Mt. Spokane. My training has been just enough to finish the race, but not at blazing speeds by any means. Nice to finally get back into some consistent running!

McKinnick Trail - Sandpoint, Idaho

2012-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Inspiration has finally hit me upside the head with nature's version of a 2 by 4! We have moved to the beautiful town of Sandpoint, Idaho. North Idaho is a gem in many ways, especially for those that have a thirst for the outdoors. The myriad of trail running options has motivated me to begin running more and explore the area before the snows begin to hit in earnest.

So far, one of my favorite places to run is McKinnick Trail, located just outside of the Sandpoint city limits near Schweitzer Mountain. This is a 3.5 mile trail (one-way) that "switchbacks" through 160 acres of gigantic rock outcroppings, grassy meadows, and tall old growth timber There are views of Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint, and the Cabinet Mountains. The top boasts an elevation of 4300' for a total elevation gain of 2150'. This is a great hike, trail-run, or snow-shoe in the winter. However, I plan to run it as long as possible. I am guessing I will finally need to purchase some spikes for my running shoes.

View of Lake Pend Oreille and Sandpoint


My German Shorthair Pointer finishing our run together

Directions: From Sandpoint, take Hwy. 95 north 1.3 miles to Schweitzer Mountain Road; turn left and go 0.5 miles; turn right at the T junction and go 0.8 miles; turn left (at Schweitzer Sign) and go 0.5 miles to Woodland Drive; turn left and go 0.7 miles. The trailhead parking area is located on the right. There is also an outhouse there.

Unbreakable: The Western States 100 official trailer

2012-01-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

I am an avid follower of Anton Krupicka's blog, Riding the Wind. Unbelievable mountain runner...check out the trailer for a movie about Western States 100, featuring Anton and a crew of other awesome trail runners...if this doesn't motivate you, what will?!

FIRST Training Plan vs. Run by Feel

2012-01-17T06:39:00.000-08:00

Last Spring I decided to use the FIRST training plan while training for the Eugene Marathon. I highly recommend checking it out. It is basically a program based on 3 quality running days per week, with some cross training in between. Check out the link above, as there have been amazing results with that particular program/philosophy.

The reason I went in that direction is that I have had a tendency to get burned out following plans that are too complicated. I was following plans developed by the legendary running coach Jack Daniels. It seemed to suck the fun out of running over time. The FIRST training plan was simple and effective.

Moving on to the here and now, I have decided to run by feel over the next several months. I have run 17 out of the last 20 with my shortest run being 2 miles and my longest being 7. Ninety-Five percent of the running has been done on trails, which is best for me in many ways. The last three days have all been 6 miles and further. I have no aches and pains, but will take today off to play it safe. I am not sure what tomorrow will bring. I am enjoying running more than ever right now. I am hoping to keep riding this wave, listen to my body, and adjust accordingly. I am currently experimenting with a Heart Rate Monitor...more to come on that one...loving it though...

Check out the photos below. This is where I run most of the time...Port Gamble Trail System...

My German Short Hair wondering why I am running so slow.

The splendor of the Olympic Mountain Range

Single Track

The Brothers Peak, Olympic Mountains

Training for Chuckanut

2012-01-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it...I signed up for the Chuckanut 50K. It sold out in under two hours and now I have to figure out how to prepare for a 31 mile trail race having not run more than 10 miles since the Eugene Marathon in May. YEEEHAAAA!

Moonlight running in the morning

I have been getting up early and running just a few miles in the morning this week up and down a hill by my house. Trying to get used to running early morning. Next week I will hit it hard in the a.m. I am finding that I am enjoying the solitude of running in the quiet cold of the morning. The only sounds I hear are my breathing and the jingle of my dog's collar. A guy could get used to starting his day like this.

The weekends will be long runs. These primarily will be exploring the beautiful woods and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. As you can see below, my dog will immensely enjoy the experience, usually fitting breaks in while I catch up to her.

Oops...6:08, better get off for that run...

Dose cooling off in the water, even at 35 degrees!

Hitting the Trails with My Daughter!

2012-01-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a run in the Port Gamble Trails with my daughter. The run was short, but hilly. We ended up gaining about 450 feet in three miles. This was two days after gaining 2100 feet in two miles at Mt. Walker on New Years Eve morning. Legs were sluggish for sure. I was impressed with Mikhaela, as she was really tough on the hills. I couldn't have gone any faster today and she was always a step ahead.

If you haven't been to these trails, I highly recommend them. There is a link to a map in an earlier blog post. Check it out here!

Chuckanut 50K Trail Race

2011-12-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was running some trails and decided to take the plunge and sign up for the Chuckanut 50K Trail Race in March. Although I have only run sporadically since running the Eugene Marathon last May, I am hoping I have just enough stored fitness to not kill myself on the steep inclines of Chuckanut Mountain. The race sells out within 2 hours and registration begins on January 8th. Check out the site for more information.

Over the next week, I am hoping to track at least 4000 feet of elevation gain on my new/used Garmin 405 cx. I am hoping that means a run up Mt. Walker, which gains 2000 feet in 2 miles. YEE_HA!!!!. My dog, Dose is staring at me as I type. I think that means this post is over...time for a run. Below, she is pictured waiting for me on our run yesterday.

Blogging Again

2011-12-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I took some time off from blogging. However, that doesn't mean I stopped trail running. Still been running, but haven't been racing much at all. Just enjoying the woods with my dog and my newest running partner, my 14 year old daughter!

My daughter, Mikhaela, had a very successful freshman cross-country season. This was her first foray back into athletics after spinal fusion surgery last March. I couldn't have been prouder of her as she continued to build her strength all season. She started the year on junior varsity and finished the year as the only freshman on varsity. At the state meet she was the fourth finisher for her team. Her team finished 8th overall in the state.

Looking forward to writing about some of our running exploits in the future. I am glad she prefers running the trails, as I do! Will spend some time looking for a race to hit in January together.

La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0 - Port Gamble Trails

2011-05-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my brother and I did our last run longer than an hour before the Eugene Marathon. We decided to hit the trails in the Port Gamble Trail System. This is my favorite place to run and is only 10 minutes from my house. It was one of those rare days where we both felt awesome and totally prepared for Eugene. We ran 8 effortless miles or so which included dense forest, clearcut areas, mountain views, and single track switchbacks. The time went faster than usual and we both wanted to continue the run...but knew we had better save ourselves for the upcoming marathon.

I was looking forward to putting on my new "mountain running" shoes the La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0. I have to tell you, I wasn't so sure about the shoes as I first slipped them on. They felt really minimal and I am used to heavier shoes for mud, dirt, snow, rocks, etc. It was a comparable feeling to putting on road racing flats for the first time after wearing trainers. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as the name is "Crosslite" after all. You can check out a photo of the shoes at the La Sportiva website link above. (I will add some photos later, the blog is rejecting photos at the moment)

I knew I liked the shoes from the moment we started running on the rocky trail. The first set of single track had the potential for dirt, debris, and mud getting into the shoe, but the shoe uses a flexible fabric that covers up to the top two lacing holes. There is no way anything was getting in and it is made of mesh to allow for breathability. The best part of the shoe is that they are fairly narrow. Most of my trail shoes are boxy which allow for side to side movement. These shoes are truly form fitting and as close to "minimalist" shoes as I have ever worn. The responsive was excellent as I hit tight corners and made cuts around trees, etc.

Like some of the other La Sportiva Mountain Running shoes, the Crosslite has the "impact braking system". This technology absorbs impact, helps during traction, and hold while braking. In other words, flying down dirty, dusty, single track you can be assured that your feet won't rip out of your shoes if you have to stop suddenly for a bear. Also, it means for a lightweight shoe, you will have a comfortable ride! All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and haven't run on the trails without them since they arrived. I am looking forward to trying them in the ice and snow of the Olympic Mountains soon. My understanding is that they are almost as good as Yaktrax without having to strap anything on...I will keep you posted!

Eugene Marathon

2011-05-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

About a week and a half ago I ran the Eugene Marathon. Now I sit here typing away with sore knees and a nasty chest cold. I am guessing I would have neither had I not run the race. Was it worth it?! Absolutely! I highly recommend running this pancake flat race in Track Town USA. The scenery was gorgeous, the course is well supported, and the spectators are awesome. They even opened up some of the buildings on the University of Oregon campus for runners to stay warm before the 7:00 a.m. start.

My brother and I were both attempting to break 3:20 and qualify for the Boston Marathon under the last year of the current qualifying standards (check the new standards out here). Leading up to the race we did most of our long runs together (which was very cool to connect and hang with my bro) and followed the FIRST plan. This three quality days a week training plan is perfect for a hectic schedule. Basically it entails one track workout, one tempo workout, and a long run. The idea is to cross train on the off days, but I rarely got much of that in. However, I still ran a personal best in my fifth marathon.

My brother was meticulous in his planning and came prepared with a tape laminated card showing what splits he wanted to run for each mile. He planned on being able to slow down by about five minutes in the second half of the race and still make his goal time. Once the race started, it was clear to me immediately that he was going to start out much faster than I planned. At that point, I decided to run my own pace. As I have experienced in other marathons, all was well until about mile 21. I ran a few slow miles and didn't pick it back up until mile 25. I ended up with a decent final 1.2 miles and ran 3:23 and change. My brother ran a perfect race and ran 3:19! He will be going to Boston without me...however, I still plan on qualifying at some point in the near future.

On a side note, a buddy of ours left Seattle at midnight and met us at the starting line in Eugene just before the start of the race. He also ran Boston 2 weeks earlier. He finished with a PR by 6 minutes and finished in 3:15. Hmmmmmm. I better talk to him about his training plan....obviously he did something right and I am quite sure it wasn't driving all night, drinking mountain dew, and going ninety miles per hour down I-5.

After the race we enjoyed the post-race atmosphere at Hayward Field for a while and then headed north to Portland for the night. We stayed at the Hotel Lucia within easy walking distance of four breweries and the Pearl District. We lucked out with sunshine...and the local (well-deserved) beer was incredible. The hotel was definitely impressive. It had a modern, comfortable feel with friendly staff. One of the best parts of the stay was enjoying many of the 680 David Kennerly photographs on display throughout the hotel. David Kennerly is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and Portland, Oregon native. Apparently, Kennerly served as personal photographer to President Gerald R. Ford and his work has appeared in LIFE, TIME, GEORGE and NEWSWEEK magazines. Judging from the people he photographed, he hung out with some amazing people! My brother and I plan on surprising our wives with a trip to Portland soon. The vibe in Portland is fantastic and we will be staying at the Hotel Lucia again.

I have run once since the marathon and hope to get a few miles in this weekend. Trails, trails, and more trails until the legs start feeling better...looking forward to it!

Green Mountain, Beaver Pond

2011-04-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

My brother Steve and I ran up at Green Mountain today. Click here for a map of the area. Green Mountain is a "working forest". The good news is that the area is surrounded by over 6000 acres of state forest. It is a trail runners paradise pacific northwest style. Even though motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails, I haven't seen or heard motorcycles on the trails for a few years. Maybe I am just lucky.

Usually we stay on Wildcat Trail, but this time we took a turn on Beaver Pond Trail. Good choice for sure. We didn't see a soul and enjoyed the bridges over small creeks, beaver ponds, and the solitude and peace one can find in the woods. Dose my German Shorthaired Pointer was with us and we only saw her when she ran back to "check" on us....always wondering why we couldn't stay up with her.

While we didn't go on a sunny day, check out the view one can have from the top of Green Mountain, East to Seattle.

Today was awesome. All told we ran for 3 hours in preparation for the Eugene Marathon in 3 weeks. Hopefully we will be enjoying the fruits of our labor today!

Directions:
Going north on Hwy 3, past Bremerton and before Silverdale, take the Newberry Hill Road (Silverdale) exit and turn left/west. Follow Newberry Hill road for about 3 miles then turn left onto Seabeck Hwy. Follow Seabeck Hwy for about 2 miles and turn right onto Holly Road. Follow Holly about 2 miles to the Wildcat Lake trailhead. There is a green sign 500 ft from the double entrance.

Perspective

2011-03-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

I am at the hospital with my wife and daughter as she recovers from spinal fusion surgery to correct severe scoliosis. She will be here for approximately five days and will be out of commission for many weeks/months. Contact sports such as soccer are out of the question for a year. It is times like these that remind me to enjoy the simple things in life. It is silly that it takes something like this to find that perspective.

While my daughter loves soccer, she found much confidence during her first season of track last spring. She ran the 1600 meters and was bound and determined to break 6 minutes by the end of her 8th grade year. She pulled it off during her last meet with an inspiring last 200 meters in the league championships. The pain etched in her face told met that she found out how to run through the pain when the going got tough.

As I look at her now recovering, I know that her short time as a distance runner will help her recovery period. Distance runners constantly push the limits and learn how to push through rough patches. I am glad she has proven to herself that she can withstand pain and on the other side of pain is comfort.

I am looking forward to taking a run with her this spring/summer as she recovers and I will be sure to enjoy the simple things.

Mountain Running - Mt. Walker

2010-12-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Just got back from running up Mt Walker. The trailhead starts at 800 ft and climbs to 2800 feet in two miles. There was snow on the trail starting at about 2000 ft. As usual, Dose Wallips, our German Shorthaired Pointer was leading the way and loving every minute of the run.

It was so cold and rainy/snowy at the top that I didn't waste any time heading back down. It was hilarious watching my dog skid uncontrollably around the switchbacks, not once going completely off trail. One thing that strikes me is how natural dogs are running through trails. I find myself watching her trying to mimic her light springy steps and fluid motion. So far, not much luck in that department.

While I enjoy running in the snow, I am really looking forward to hitting the trails on a nice, sunny, Pacific Northwest day. ....yes, it is true, we do get nice sunny days in the Northwest. I will post some pics this spring and summer to prove it.

Hansville Greenway - Buck Lake

2010-12-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

The Hansville Greenway is a great place to hit the trails. This morning I went with my German Shorthaired Pointer for her regular morning jaunt. The new surroundings and fresh scents were of particular interest to her, as we usually stay in the same section of wilderness near my house. Click here for a trail map of the areas.

We went for about 4 miles today and I am feeling like I am getting my legs back after running the New York City Marathon. I will start training officially for the Eugene Marathon on January 4th. That will give me about 17 weeks of training to try for a Boston Qualifier. I plan on running 3:15 in Eugene. That would be a PR by about 7 minutes or so....think positive!

I highly recommend the Hansville Greenway for trail running, especially if the hills tend to scare you away...the hills are gentle for the most part starting out at Buck Lake, with beautiful views of the water from several different spots. Hansville is about ten minutes north of Kingston, WA.

Hope to do some snow running within the next week or so...plan on running up Mt Walker and back down on the fire road with the snow shoes....good for about 2000 feet of elevation gain on the way up...hope to blog about the run within a few days. Happy Trails!