Running and Rambling

Weekend Ramblings

2012-05-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

"Down, down, down, down, it gets me so -

Down, down, down, down ..."

- Blink 182, "Down" (video after post)

You could say it's been something of a down week around this little corner of the Internet.

I guess that's what you get when you combine the height of training season, a frenzied end of the school year, exciting new work opportunities, and a laptop-shaped void where my most familiar writing tool used to reside. (That last one's a long story I'd rather not re-tell.)

To top it all off, I got knocked on my tail by a nasty illness this week - the kind that makes you want to crawl in a hole so the world won't be bothered by your whimpering.

Consequently, I'm spending much of my holiday weekend passively taking in the world around me - and over the past several days, a few items seemed interesting enough to pass along. I hope you appreciate them, as I'm probably infecting my wife's keyboard in order to publish them here.

Coincidentally, the first item comes from my wife, who had the ~~privilege~~ ~~opportunity~~ obligation to chaperone the final 8th grade dance that doubled as a "So long, middle school!" party for all the kids heading off to high school in the fall - one of who happens to be our son.

This story isn't about our son, though - it's about the girls at the dance, about whom my wife commented afterward, You should have seen the heels these girls were all wearing, before demonstrating by holding her thumb and forefinger about 5 inches apart. Considering that one of my top-5 father goals is to prevent my daughters from ever wearing high heels, this was certainly a discouraging report.

However, the next part of my wife's account cheered me up immensely:

The funny thing was, right after the dance started, almost all of them just took their shoes off and spent the whole night barefoot. The ones who didn't were walking around in pain by the end of the night.

So maybe there's hope for me after all - and one day, females of the world will come to their senses and outlaw those foolish contraptions once and forever. For my part, I'll raise two girls who are ready to join the crusade.

This one's a quick link, but a lengthy must-read: Caballo Blanco's Last Run, as seen in this week's New York Times. It's wonderfully written, and a fitting tribute to a reluctant ultrarunning legend.

This one took me by surprise, as I initially dismissed it as just another skater/shredder clip. However, the piece stands out for a few reasons:

- It features Jeff Ament, who until this week I only knew as the bass player for Pearl Jam.

- In the piece, he speaks about the ways that skating satisfies his soul in much the same way I often talk to people about trail running.

- It portrays how Ament was able to spread his passion in a heartfelt act of generosity that could have positive ramifications on an entire community.

The clip is a bit on the long side, but you'll be glad you watched.

"Pass the Bucket With Jeff Ament" (click to play):

And hopefully we'll resume regular programming in the next few days, assuming I can get myself up from being so down.

Blink 182, "Down" (click to play):

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Train Like a Champion

2012-05-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

In the first 24 years of the Big Sur Marathon, no Monterey County resident won the men's race*. In the past three years, Monterey men have won three in a row.

(*That statement is sometimes disputed in that 6-time winner and course record holder Brad Hawthorne, whom the men's trophy is now named after, actually lived in Monterey County for a brief period - but when he sent in his race applications, his primary residence was listed as Danville. It's one of those local runner-geek arguments around here.)

Big Sur isn't some podunk race that any random slacker can win just by showing up on the right day; it usually attracts a decent crowd of high-caliber runners, and racing successfully there requires sound strategy and strong mental fortitude. So when we suddenly found ourselves awash in recent winners, my friend Mike decided to hit one of them up for training advice that he could pass along to the rest of our running community.

The result is the Monterey Herald column that follows below, which is just as applicable to the greater marathon community outside Monterey County.

**

Running Life 05/17/12 "Train Like a Champion"

" Champions are made when no one is watching." - Author unknown.

When Adam Roach of Pacific Grove crossed the finish line first at this year's Big Sur Marathon, the entire community shared and celebrated his accomplishment. What none of us saw, however, were the months of hard work he put in while no one was watching in order to make his triumphant day possible.

Adam Roach winning the BSIM; photo from Monterey Herald

We spoke with Adam recently to ask about his training for this year's race. His responses highlighted some lessons that anyone can benefit from - even those of us who finish many minutes (or hours) behind him.

Adam is 28 and works full time, so he fits running around his work schedule and family time just like the rest of us. He usually runs after work each week day and on weekend mornings, averaging about 80 miles per week in the springtime - a volume that is far lower than the 100-120 miles that many professional runners log.

A typical week includes a Sunday 20-miler in the Fort Ord/Toro Park area with Daniel Tapia (2010 Big Sur Marathon winner) at about 6:00 per mile pace. Mondays are 10 miles at a "comfortably fast" pace of 6:15-7:00/mile. Tuesdays include 10 miles of trails in Garland Ranch or Del Monte Forest

On Wednesdays, Adam hits the Pacific Grove High School track to run intervals at race pace. Sometimes the intervals are long, such as 4 x 2 miles at marathon pace, and other times they're short, such as his favorite workout of fifty 400-meter repeats at half marathon speed. Thursday is another "comfortably fast" run, Friday is a 10-mile tempo (slightly slower than race pace) run, and Sunday has 12 more "comfortably fast" miles.

What did we learn from all this? Here are some key themes:

Consistent long runs are critical: Adam didn't have any runs over 20 miles, but he did a 20-miler nearly every week from February through April. He calls these, "The bread and butter of my training ... and the long runs over hilly terrain gave me endurance to be able to run hard for a full 26 miles on race day." These runs were bolstered by the long interval and tempo run workouts, which helped him to stay comfortable while running at race pace.

Discipline and toughness: Did any of those track workouts sound difficult to anyone? How about a weekly 20-miler? Or running every day for a minimum of 10 miles? You can't do these things without enormous self-discipline - and each progressive session builds increased confidence, toughness, and mental strength that will be needed to race off the front of the pack on race day.

Focus on the goal: Adam's race schedule was minimal, and his entire training program was designed solely to prepare him for Big Sur. He ran the Mission 10-Miler in San Juan Bautista in January and the Santa Cruz Half-Marathon in March, and otherwise stayed focused on his one major goal race.

Just run, baby: Adam does minimal cross training, weights, or stretching, because he'd rather spend his limited workout time exclusively running. Once a week he'll do a short abs/core workout, "But nothing too crazy." Specificity of training pays enormous benefits in learning to run more efficiently.

Obviously, successful training plans differ for everybody, but Adam has clearly found a system that works well for him. If you take some cues from his training regimen, you still might not win the Big Sur Marathon, but you'll almost certainly become a better runner.

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Monkey Shake Winner; GoLite Spring Blowout Sale; Soft Star "Princess" RunAmocs; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-05-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

A few business notes of interest before our customary weekend RSOB ..

First, let's announce our Monkey Shake winner! Mike Dixon: e-mail me your contact info - you've won! In case anyone's curious, Mike's winning entry was the famous "I'll stir fry you in my wok!" line from the classic "Intergalactic" - which, just as a final MCA tribute, I've decide to embed below. Interestingly, considering that this is a running blog, nobody picked the "I run the marathon to the very last mile" line from the same song. Anyway, congrats to Mike, and thanks to everyone else who entered - that one was kind of fun.

*
I used to do a number of product reviews for GoLite - but that stopped roughly one year ago as the company laid the groundwork for a somewhat radical new business model. Basically, they're dramatically downsizing their marketing and completely eliminating their relationships with third party outdoor retailers.

The upside of this from a customer's standpoint is that their product margins aren't impacted by those additional costs, so they pass the savings - in many cases, up to 50% of the previous MSRP - on to customers via direct website sales at GoLite.com. It's a model that's driven by discounts and word of mouth marketing, and depends upon returning customers who have strong loyalty for the brand.

Of course, the model won't work unless the products are high quality - and in the case of GoLite, that's exactly what they offer. Their Rush pack is still my favorite for day hiking, and their 9" Mesa Trail shorts are a top choice for chilly winter mornings that aren't quite cold enough for tights. And right now you can get those items as well as anything else at the GoLite site at deep discounts while the company blows out their Spring 2012 inventory - for example, the Rush pack I linked above is only $45, and the Mesa shorts are $22.50. Click here to check out the sale, and it will be interesting to see how GoLite's new business model fares in the months and years to come.

I'm not exactly sure whether this next item pertains to any of my readers, but you never know, so here goes: Soft Star shoes is now able to make shiny, starry varieties of your running moccasins if that's something you're into.

Black suede with white stars (middle), cream leather with gold stars (right); photo from Soft Star website

The company has recently sourced some decorative suede hides with star patterns that can be used for adult RunAmocs. They also have a cream and gold star leather that can be used for decorative accents. So if you want to get carried away with shiny leather and starry accents, you could potentially create a spectacularly princess-y version of the RunAmoc Dash like this one:

Like I said, I'm not sure who might bite on this one, but hey - feel free to go wild.

Finally, out Random Shot of Beauty is leftover from my Pebble Beach trail run report. It's hard to see at first, because the subject is camouflaged so well among the trees and brush - but if you click to enlarge, you'll see her in there:

That's another thing Pebble Beach is known for: a whole lot of native deer. Sometimes I wonder if they realize what a remarkable place they happen to inhabit - or at least on some level understand that they contribute to making the place more remarkable for me. I doubt it, but I hope I'm wrong.

*
Beastie Boys, "Intergalactic" (click to play):

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Backyard Adventures: Pebble Beach / Del Monte Forest Trail Running

2012-05-16T18:28:00.004-07:00

*Before today's post, a reminder to give me your best Beastie Boys lyric for a chance to win a 30-serving bag of Monkey Shakes. The winner will be announced Saturday, so get going!

*
When most people hear the name Pebble Beach, they most likely conjure up the following things:

1) Golf courses

2) Mansions

3) Luxury cars, or

4) Conspicuous consumption

What they don't think of very often is "trail running adventure", but that's part of the beauty of running in Pebble Beach: almost nobody knows how to do it.

Even longtime residents sometimes struggle with running in Pebble Beach - often shortened to "Pebble" by locals - as many trails are unmarked, unmapped, or oftentimes both. Paths are frequently interrupted by a road or house or fairway without any clue as to where they continue - if they indeed continue at all. Even though the Del Monte Forest that dominates the region is only 10 square miles, it's easy to get disoriented, causing planned 5-mile runs to become 2-hour explorations.

I've lived in this area for almost 20 years, and I still get turned around in the forest sometimes ... but the more miles I spend there, the more amazed I am that this place exists, and the more awestruck I am at the glory of creation. Which sounds like enough reason to do a photo tour, right? I thought so ... and took my camera with me one day for a 20-miler that highlights the best (and strangest) of what the area has to offer.

(As usual, click any photo to enlarge ...)

For most locals, a run into Pebble Beach actually starts outside the area, in the parking lot at Carmel Beach - which is a natural wonder in its own right. The reason we park here instead of going into Pebble Beach proper ...

... is this gated entrance. All road access points into Pebble Beach pass by manned gatehouses, where visiting cars - classified as anything without a resident medallion on the front grill - are charged $9.75 to enter. On the other hand, if you pass through on foot, bike, or rollerblades, there's no charge. Running in Pebble is wonderful, but it's not 10-dollars-a-pop wonderful - so adding an extra mile or two onto either side of your run to avoid the fee is pretty much a no-brainer.

You encounter your first trail less than a quarter mile past the gate - a restored remnant of a historic horse path that used to circle the perimeter of Del Monte Forest. Many of the trails here were built or maintained by the local equestrian community; in a related story, mountain bikes are pretty much outlawed in Pebble Beach - but that's a discussion for another time.

Trails also pass remarkably close to multi-million-dollar homes, many of which sit vacant for most of the year, because they're the vacation homes of people who have an equally (or more) expensive house somewhere else. To say Pebble belongs to people with money is quite the understatement.

Here's the most remarkable thing about Pebble Beach, though: for long stretches of trail, there's no sign of any civilization or development, and it looks and feels almost exactly like running through the Sierra Nevadas. It would be easy to completely forget where you are ...

... except that every now and then you skirt a lush green fairway, which reminds you that no matter what the surroundings look like, in these parts, golf is king.

Many of the trails are marked by signposts with colored stripes to distinguish one from another. The green posts mark a popular route that climbs towards the top of the forest ...

... and back down to another swanky fairway near the Pebble Beach lodge.

This is a polo field near the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. It's nothing special, really - probably just like the polo fields in your own neighborhood. Let's move on.

One long stretch of the green trail turns into a deep sandy path that rises up and over a large dune ...

... before cresting the dune to get your first breathtaking glimpse of the coastline below.

Remember that multi-million-dollar home earlier? This futuristic one with beach access would be in the multi-multi-million dollar range.

This is Bird Rock - a name that become obvious if you click to enlarge and check out all the little black dots on top of the white surface in the distance. It's a popular stopping point for auto tourists on 17-Mile Drive, and a popular rest stop for cyclists and runners ...

... mainly because it's got one of the only public restrooms and drinking fountains in Pebble Beach. You can refill your bottles, catch your breath ...

... and gaze down the coastline at the flat stretch of trail ahead. You know - just like the view at the public bathroom near your house, I'm sure.

The trail continues for about two flat miles along the coast, where the sound of crashing waves and the sight of rocks and surf is almost mesmerizing. Not coincidentally, this is the section where you're most likely to see fellow runners or cyclists who are lucky enough to be there too.

Soon enough you leave the beach behind and start back up the hill, crossing over more sand dunes until you re-enter the heart of Del Monte Forest.

Here's one of the challenges I mentioned at the top: occasionally, trails just emerge upon a road or intersection, and unless you happen to know which way to go from here, it's very tough to figure out where they continue on the other side. In many cases, the continuation is a quarter-mile or more down the road from where you first hit the asphalt.

Sometimes the trail is marked on the trunks of trees on the periphery of a golf course, and you know if you stay to one side of the fairway you're in the general vicinity of the trail ...

... and other times the golf course IS the trail as you make your way along cart paths down the length of one fairway and up another. If you thought it was easy to get turned around on trails, try telling one immaculately groomed fairway from another sometime. I've gone back and forth on golf courses more than a few times ...

... before popping out on the road somewhere and thinking, "Wait - how did I end up at the Poppy Hills clubhouse?". Fortunately, if you know the road system here - which is no small challenge either - you can at least point yourself back in the right direction back into the forest ...

... where the trails eventually turn back into secluded Sierra-like fire roads ...

... and quiet single track as you climb to the apex of the forest.

The trails stay quiet all the way down a long descent back toward sea level ...

... and within a couple more miles you exit the Pebble gate and return to Carmel Beach. In the space of a few hours, you've gone from seascape to forest and back, from sea level to hilltop, from civilization to seclusion, from the gaudy excesses of humanity to the simplest joys of natural existence. It probably offers the largest environmental variability of any run I know of - and the more time I spend here, the more thankful I am for every opportunity to explore it.

*See other photo tours under tab at top of page.

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The MCA Memorial Monkey Shake Promotion and 30-Bag Giveaway!

2012-05-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

"Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice -

Come on y'all it's time to get nice ... "

- Beastie Boys, "Brass Monkey" (video after post)

Two quite unrelated topics today - one sad, one happy - that I'll try to combine in some sensible manner by the time we're done ...

First, the sad part, which is belated news from earlier his month: RIP, Adam Yauch. And most likely, RIP Beastie Boys. I'm almost ashamed to admit how profoundly sorrowful I was to hear about MCA's passing, but I can't tell you how many hours I spent memorizing lyrics from Licensed To Ill, or how many times the Beasties' distinctive combination of humor and hip-hop brought a smile to my face in the years since their debut album.

Anybody remember the flip side of this cover?

Intellectually, it doesn't make sense that I'd be sad about a rap singer who died too soon - an occurrence that happens so often as to be cliché. Perhaps there's something about being obsessed with a band at a formative age that makes the attachment more heartfelt than it would later in life; if that's the case, my 15-year-old self spinning Licensed to Ill over and over again would make me the perfect candidate.

However, I think there's another element of Yauch's death that hits closer to home: mainly, he had become just a regular guy. As he grew older, Yauch left the insane hip-hop miscreant persona of his youth behind, and became a family man concerned with providing for his loved ones and doing his part to serve the greater societal good. And it wasn't a rap squabble that brought him down - it was cancer, which cuts the lives of most victims far too short, usually for no reason at all. So maybe there was something in his transformation from basic idiot to respectable, vulnerable person that I identified with.

Whatever the case, he'll definitely be missed. Like a lemon without a lime, a lime without a lemon.

On to our good news for the day, which is courtesy of the Monkey Shake company I've endorsed a few times in the past. They have a cool promotion going on this month, and they're also offering a killer contest prize for one of my readers.

Here's the promotion, which we'll call the Tuesday Special: for the rest of the month May, if you buy any two items in the Monkey Shake store on a Tuesday, you'll get a third item for free. All you have to do is put three items in your shopping cart, and if it's a Tuesday, the discount will automatically be applied.

And if you'd rather take your chances with a contest entry, we've got a tempting one: this weekend, I'll award a huge 30-serving bag of Monkey Shake original mix to one lucky reader chosen from the comments section below.

Monkey love!

The company was kind enough to provide me with one of these bags a few weeks back, and it's been one of my key refueling strategies during the high-volume training weeks of my early season ultras. If there's a better post-20-miler recovery drink than Monkey Shake with yogurt, banana, frozen berries, honey, and orange juice, I haven't tasted it. Like the Beasties said, Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice ... or on frozen berries, as the case may be.

The ground rules for this one are that I'm making the contest entry process a Beastie Boys / MCA memorial. To enter, leave your favorite Beastie Boys lyric in the box below - and you'll get two entries if it's a line by MCA. I'll announce the winner next Saturday, May 19th - but remember to shop at the Monkey Shake store on Tuesdays throughout the month as well, because there's only one winner for this thing.

Special thanks to the Monkey Shake company for this contest, and good luck to everybody. I think you know what time it is - it's time to get ill in the comments!

Beastie Boys, "Brass Monkey" (click to play):

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CLIF Bar Gary's Panforte Winners; Miwok 100K Video; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-05-12T21:20:00.001-07:00

Forgive me if I'm still basking in the afterglow of last weekend's Miwok 100K just a bit - but my legs have been too blasted to to any legitimate training this week, and my mind is still in recuperation mode as well. But I think I've got something kind of cool to formally close the book on this year's edition before moving on.

But first, let's take care of some business by announcing our CLIF Bar Gary's Panforte winners. M. Louise Cunningham, Wes, and melodyfairitale: e-mail me your contact info - you've won the contest! Thanks to everyone else who entered, and try to grab these bars from stores before they vanish in the near future.

*
Predictably, this weekend's Random Shot of Beauty comes from the Miwok course:

A cove just up the coastline from Rodeo Beach, as seen on the long climb up Coastal Trail at roughly mile 48 of last weekend's race. Under different circumstances, I'd want to scale down the hillside and chill out on my own private beach for a while ... but on race day I had more pressing tasks to take care of. So I guess I'll just have to come back here sometime.

*
Finally, there's this: a very cool on-the-scene video from this year's Miwok 100K, which mainly spotlights the male frontrunners, but also gives you a great perspective of what it's like to actually be on the course. Videos like this have become a tradition for a group of hardcore Bay Area trail runners called The Endurables, who probably know these Marin County trails better than anyone - so well, in fact, that they're helping to stage what looks to be a killer new race there later this summer.

For now, enjoy the video, and the remainder of your weekend.

"Miwok 100K 2012" by The Endurables (click to play):

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Learning to Walk: Miwok 100K Race Report

2012-05-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

"Getting good at starting over every time that I return -

I'm learning to walk again -

I believe I've waited long enough -

Where do I begin?"

- Foo Fighters, "Walk" (video after post)

One of the reasons I look forward to racing season so much when building up to a 100-miler is that it's very hard to simulate the feeling of timelessness in routine training.

Virtually every other training run I do is governed by time - or, more accurately, the lack thereof. I'm constantly racing the clock to start my work day, or to get back to family activities or chores waiting for me at home. And even though I can wake up crazy early and knock out 50K before sitting down to my desk, I don't always seek out the toughest routes for fear that the miles will put me too far behind schedule. It's not until I do races of 50 miles or more that I really, fully dedicate myself to the trail, without regard for how many hours it will take me.

Consequently, it's not until I'm in these races that I get to practice my walking. Whether it's going up a relentless climb, struggling to cope with extreme heat, or simply shuffling my way through the inevitable low spots, long ultras give me an opportunity to learn to walk again. While that may sound strange to some, it's actually an important skill to develop in preparation for 100-milers. Because nobody runs a whole 100 - and if you want to be successful, you had better be good at walking.

This year's Miwok 100K proved to be even more helpful than usual in teaching me how to walk again. The course was a almost a complete reboot from previous versions, with a different start and finish area, steeper and more technical hills, and 20% more climbing than last year's already daunting 10,000' of vertical. Oh, and it was another unseasonably warm day in Marin County - all of which made for the "epicer" challenge I mentioned in last weekend's post.

Across the board, race times were 1 to 2 hours slower than previous editions. Race winner Dave Mackey took more than 70 minutes longer than in 2011. Runners who normally broke 10 hours were happy with sub-12s. And when I got to the halfway point of the race and realized I was on pace to go nearly 2 hours slower than last year, that's when I gave up concerning myself with time, and fully embraced the notion that this was a perfect day for walking.

But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit - so let's get to the race report, starting back at the beginning ...

... which was unlike any in Miwok history. In addition to being in the town of Stinson Beach (instead of the customary Rodeo Beach), it was 45 minutes earlier than usual - and the 5AM start ensured that we'd be running in the dark for more than an hour.

Darkness might actually have been a blessing, because the course climbs 1800' in less than 2 miles; if we had actually seen it, the hill might have been completely demoralizing. Instead, we kept rising into the dark, with only a stream of headlamps in front and behind - that, and a supermoon overhead to give the trail a serene glow.

By daybreak we found ourselves on Miwok's infamous "half-track" Coastal trail, where the side slope and narrowness make this stretch a notorious ankle-twister. Between the killer climb and the perilous descent, Miwok was swinging a big hammer before we even reached the first aid station.

This stretch along Bolinas Ridge was a bit surreal, in that it typically occurs during miles 26 to 40. This year it was miles 7 to 20 ...

... and at the Randall Trail aid station, instead of having 28 miles to go, we had 48. Go ahead and add psychological punishment to the list of challenges at this year's race.

On the long climb away from Randall, I started what would become a recurring theme: catching up to scores of runners who had blown me away on the previous downhill. I wasn't pushing particularly hard, just walking and jogging in baby steps, but under the circumstances, it was enough to make up a lot of ground.

Eventually we made our way back across the half-track, this time in the sunlight ...

... where we got our first great views of the coastline, such as this one toward Point Reyes that was shrouded in darkness the first time through.

The descent to Stinson Beach featured another new route: the absolutely beautiful and absolutely treacherous Matt Davis Trail. If the low branches didn't take you out ...

... the rocky footing, irregular steps, or twisty switchbacks probably would. The most common description I heard of this trail afterward was an obstacle course, but I considered it more like parkour - complete with the occasional rolling on the ground.

After giving back all the elevation we gained in the dark, the Matt Davis Trail eventually dropped us back down to Stinson Beach ...

... where we immediately faced a 1400' climb up the first few miles of the Dipsea Trail.

Bay Area trail runners know this legendary trail for two things: a historic race, and a crazy amount of stairs. I'm very familiar with the trail, so I knew what I was in for ...

And when I asked some hikers to take my picture, they probably figured I was just enjoying the scenery. What they didn't realize is that I was looking for any excuse to catch my breath for a few minutes ...

... before continuing the long slog of railroad tie stairs through the steep ravine.

The Dipsea also passes through one of the most beautiful redwood groves you'll ever see, which is almost enough to take your mind off the fact you're still climbing. Almost.

Of course, as soon as we gained all that elevation, we gave it right back again on a long descent back to sea level ...

... and the mile 33 aid station at Muir Beach. Honestly, the climb and descent to get here were my worst section of the race: the day was getting warm, I was starting to feel the miles on my legs, and the finish was still too distant to even contemplate. Not to mention, a ton of runners passed me on the long downhill to the beach. Fortunately, this was where I had my previously described epiphany about savoring the full day out on the trails, which motivated me to keep plugging along ...

... although the sight of beachgoers frolicking in the surf as I labored in the heat was just one more slap from a course that had been doling out punishment all day.

Once upon a time, I made the climb from Muir Beach three times in 24 hours, so I was familiar with this long grind that opened the second half of the race. Unfortunately, that didn't make the current situation any easier ...

... but the first glimpses of the city in the distance from the top of the hill helped make it worth the effort.

Following yet another long descent (to Tennessee Valley) and climb back up to another summit, the city views became more breathtaking ...

... and the trail that rolled along the ridgeline was relatively gentle for a change, which was a welcome relief on the farthest outbound stretch of the course.

This doesn't have anything to do with my race report, but I have to tell you how cool it is that there's a ridge named after me in the Marin Headlands. Truly, it's an honor. I'll be remembered for generations in this part of the world. I couldn't ask for a better tribute.

(Meanwhile, back at the race ... )

I rather appreciated this sign, made by the Coastside Running Club who manned the Rodeo Valley aid station. It says, "Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." - which seemed like a nice little reminder at mile 43.

By the way, what's better than an aid station at the turnaround point of a killer ultra on a hot day? ...

An aid station at a killer ultra on a hot day with POPSICLES! In a related story, I fell completely in love with the Coastside Running Club ...

... and at that moment, I was one very happy ultrarunner. But then a strange thing happened ...

These buildings are the Marin Youth Hostel - which in itself isn't so unusual. The strange part is that I wasn't supposed to be here; somewhere in my post-popsicle delirium, I managed to miss a turn and go off course with a couple of other runners. We backtracked about a half mile, and I ended up going down another wrong road by myself, which led me past these buildings. I eventually found my way back onto the course markings ...

... but it wasn't until I arrived at Rodeo Beach with this guy (who I had yo-yo'd with almost all day) before I realized we hadn't taken the same route to get there.

(Incidentally, after the race I tried to disqualify myself for re-entering the course at a different point than I left it, but the RD graciously declined my recommendation. She figured I probably ran more than the original distance to end up where I did - and in the understatement of the day told me, "Besides, it's not like you were in the top three." I'm pretty sure that last part was meant to reassure me. Either way, I was grateful for her ruling.)

If the sight of Muir Beach earlier in the day was a slap, the sights and sounds of Rodeo Beach at mile 45 in the hot mid-afternoon felt closer to a stomach punch - especially when yet another long climb awaited us.

One highlight of this section was that there were a ton of hikers enjoying a beautiful Marin County afternoon, and most of them were clued into the fact that there was some sort of race going on. Some people clapped, others asked how far we were going ... and when I passed by, nearly all of them whispered some variety of Did you see what that guy's wearing on his feet? It was a nice psychological boost just as we were making our return back to the finish area - and from that point on, I was in great spirits the whole rest of the way.

After another brutal climb, Rodeo Beach faded into the distance below, and another long descent led us to the Tennessee Valley aid station at mile 51 ...

... where signs leading to the aid station were a little more pointed - but even more appreciated than the earlier ones.

Stop me if you've heard this already - but after the aid station we made another long climb. This time, it was to the top of Pirate's Cove ...

... which is one of my favorite sections of the Marin County coastline. In fact, I pretended that I wanted my picture taken here because I love the view so much ...

... when I was actually just buying some time before the very steep, technical downhill that leads to the shore. Between the tricky footing in my RunAmocs and the fact that I was still reeling people in on every climb, I reached a point where I was looking forward to the uphills far more than the descents. Ultras can do strange things to your head sometimes.

The climb out of Pirates Cove isn't too extreme, and before you know it you're glancing over your shoulder for a final glimpse of the coast to the south ...

... and then turning forward to see the Muir Beach aid station in front of you to the north. From here, there were only 8 miles left in the race, and I was still keeping a remarkably steady pace; all that was left was to grind it out to the finish.

This is Willie. He bombed past me at roughly mile 31, but not before stopping to chat for a few minutes. He introduced himself by saying, "I'm a big fan of the blog!" and was also wearing minimalist shoes (Merrell Road Gloves); needless to say, we hit it off right away. All of which made me feel bad to pass him back at mile 55 - or sort of bad, at least. I'm pretty sure I felt a little bit bad. For some reason, that part is fuzzy now.

(But for the record, this was his first 100K, and he toughed it out and finished even after things unraveled on him on a brutal day. Kudos, Willie.)

The final stretch of the new Miowk course is primarily on the Dipsea Trail, in the same direction as the namesake event. Dipsea veterans know that the course is 7.3 miles long and ends at Stinson Beach, so when you see rock markers like this from the Dipsea Race, you know exactly how far you have to go.

On our way back, the same sun that spilled through these redwoods on us from the east now split the trees from the west on our return. Which is really just my roundabout way of saying it had been a very long day.

But all that remained was one last swoop down the Dipsea stairs ...

... before a glimpse across "The Moors" (as this section of the Dipsea Trail is called) brought Stinson Beach back into view, and the finish line called us home.

I finally arrived there 13 and a half hours after I left, which was nearly two full hours longer than this race has taken me in years past. Despite that - or maybe because of it - this year's Miwok just might rate as my favorite one ever. I managed the race well, never had a major crisis aside from mild depression going up Dipsea the first time, and re-taught myself the power of completely losing yourself in the moment, regardless of how much time you spend there. I feel like I'm finding my place in the realm of 100-milers again - now all I have to do is keep growing stronger between now and August.

"I think I found my place -
Can't you feel it growing stronger, little conquerors?"

- Foo Fighters, "Walk" (Live on Letterman video - click to play):

See other race reports under tab at top of page.

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CLIF Bar "Gary's Panforte" 20th Anniversary Giveaway!

2012-05-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Considering that the CLIF Bar company stepped up so significantly to aid my ultrarunning exploits last year, I guess it shouldn't have surprised me too much when an unexpected box arrived on my doorstep a few weekends ago.

What surprised me, however, was the goodies inside - because they were something I had never seen before:

I was fortunate enough to receive a pre-release sampling of a special bar to commemorate CLIF Bar's 20th anniversary. It's now available in limited quantities, similar to what the company does with its holiday flavors - in other words, once they're gone, they're gone. But a few lucky readers will get a chance to try them without having to search; that's right, we're doing a giveaway!

(Also, I'm including a little bit of CLIF trail running mojo for everybody at the end of the post - that way, everybody wins a little. I aim to please.)

The anniversary bar is called Gary's Panforte, and harkens back to the days of the company's origins. Or, as founder Gary Erickson explains on the wrapper: It was cycling that ultimately led me to create CLIF Bar. Now, it's 20 years later and I'd like to share with you a wonderful new limited edition CLIF Bar inspired by my earliest cycling adventure up and over the Passo di Govia in Northern Italy.

Apparently on one of Erickson's early cycling treks through the Italian Alps, some locals introduced him to an old-world dessert called panforte, which is primarily made from fruit and nuts. Fast forward 20 years, and Erickson challenged his chefs to recreate the taste in CLIF format - which doesn't just mean bar shaped, but has to consist of only organic and all-natural ingredients - to recreate the treat he enjoyed back in the old days.

The resulting 260-calorie bar resembles a fruitcake in both appearance and taste - which makes sense, I guess, seeing as how the most literal translation of the Italian word panforte is "fruitcake." The nuts and fruit are chunky and prominent, and there's an essence of cloves and ginger that, in our family at least, triggered thoughts of the holidays as much as the Alps. As my youngest daughter described it, "They taste like Christmas." That can't be such a bad thing, right?

However, unlike a holiday fruitcake, these bars won't be regifted too often. My family's supply vanished quickly, and I anticipate you'll want to keep yours for yourself, too. The bars are available in stores now until supplies are gone - and who knows, it might be another 20 years before we see them again. I hope not, because they're a truly distinctive taste among energy bars, and a very cool tribute to the spirit of adventure that the CLIF company was founded on.

With that, let's get to the giveaway: three winners selected randomly from the comments section below will receive the exact same 4-pack sampler of Gary's Panforte that I tested. One entry per reader, and the winners will be announced this Saturday night, May 12. Obviously a very special thanks go to the CLIF Bar company for including us in their anniversary celebration.

As for your ultra mojo: the latest installment of CLIF's "Stories From Team CLIF Bar" features Scott Jurek, the Tarahumaras of the Copper Canyons, and interview footage of the late Caballo Blanco. If there's a video out there that better captures the true spirit of ultrarunning, I haven't seen it.

"Stories From Team CLIF Bar: Scott Jurek" (click to play):

*Products provided by CLIF Bar and Company

**If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Random Shots of Beauty

2012-05-05T23:20:00.002-07:00

A shot from the Marin Headlands, as seen at mile 41 of today's Miwok 100K:

(Click to enlarge)

Good golly, was Miwok epic this year. Even epicer than usual. Yes, I just made that word up - trust me, it's appropriate.

Full race report to come later this week, I hope.

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A Wish Come True*

2012-05-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

*Or, Why It's Great to Be Friends With Elves.

One of the strangest things about being on Team Soft Star is this: I have to be careful what I write, because I never know when an elf may be reading.

I'm reminded of this every now and then when an unexpected package shows up on my doorstep, as happened again this week. But before I explain what was in it, here's a quick back story:

A few weeks ago when I posted my Luna Leadville sandal review, I posted this picture:

And included this comment: The outsole features one of the most aggressive tread patterns I've seen on minimalist footwear - I wish my RunAmocs used this.

This week, a new pair of RunAmocs arrived at my house - but they weren't the customary trail models I'm accustomed to. When I looked closely, there was something about the outsole that seemed vaguely familiar ...

RunAmoc on top, Leadville on bottom

... because it's the exact same Vibram tread used on the Luna Leadvilles! Inside the box, there was a note from the Soft Star Elves that included the following:

This is a test pair to see how you like the Vibram Newflex. You wrote on your Luna Sandal review that you wished your RunAmocs used this - your wish is our command!

I mean ... how cool is that? I have Elves who tend to my every wish. Remember when I said I'd rather be sponsored by Soft Star than Montrail or The North Face? I was 100% serious about that.

What's more, from a minimalist standpoint the Soft Star version of this particular outsole is even better than the one I tested on my Luna Sandals, because it's significantly thinner. Soft Star's Newflex outsole is 5mm thick, which is the same as their standard RunAmoc trail outsole, but half as thick as the Luna Leadville. The Elves not only answered my wish - they actually managed to improve it.

To be truthful, this wasn't exactly a magic wand situation, as Soft Star has been considering alternate tread patterns to their trail running outsoles for a little while now, and this particular pattern was one they happened to have in the workshop at the time I wrote about it. The timing works perfectly, because I have sort of a big run scheduled for this Saturday. I'll give the outsoles a pretty good beating there, and provide updates as to their availability as a RunAmoc option if that becomes a reality at some point.

And finally, just to dispel any absurd notions, one more note on this weekend's race: there's absolutely ZERO chance that Team Soft Star is going to win. I'm back to my ordinary self this time around - running just to make myself happy, and hopefully to make the Elves proud.

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Sanuk Hemp Shoe Review

2012-05-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

"Herb the gift from the earth -

And what's from the earth is of the greatest worth -

So before you knock it try it first -

You'll see it's a blessing and it's not a curse

If you don't like my fire then don't come around -

'Cause I'm gonna burn one down -

Yes I'm gonna burn one down."

- Ben Harper, "Burn One Down" (video after post)

Before I carved this little niche for myself in minimalist footwear, I dabbled in reviewing footwear that was environmentally friendly. Today's product is something of a hybrid of those two genres, featuring a shoe that offers many biomechanical benefits of natural footwear, while using eco-friendly material for its upper construction.

Sanuk Hemp shoe

The only downside is that the material in question isn't exactly legal to grow in the United States - although that's a larger discussion for another time (but if you want a synopsis, I'll have a short discussion here momentarily.) However, when you have a finished product like Sanuk's Hemp shoe, it's tough to see a rational objection to using hemp for industrial purposes. If you think of the plant as a gift from the Earth, think of the Hemp shoe as a gift to your feet, providing a great combination of high comfort and high fashion - and like the plant, it's well-suited for a variety of uses.

Here's the quick rundown of using hemp, a low-THC (the stuff that gets you high) strain of the notorious Cannabis plant that is among the earliest farmed plants known to man: It's one of the fastest-growing crops in the world, and can be used for food, fuel, paper products, textiles, furnishings, and multiple other applications. It requires almost no pesticides or herbicides to thrive, and is responsibly farmed in multiple countries around the world.

It also comprises the entire upper of Sanuk's Hemp shoe, a 100% vegan option that is probably one of the most versatile styles in the company's lineup. The shoe is nice looking enough to wear in a casual work or social setting, but it's got enough of a laid-back vibe - especially thanks to the frayed edge seam detail - to fit right in with a tank top and cutoff shorts.

Wearing them sockless is no problem, thanks to a liner made in the classic beach poncho style. Between the liner and the soft molded EVA midsole, your feet have mellow comfort no matter what environment you use them in.

In previous Sanuk reviews I've described the construction specs that make their footwear fairly friendly for barefoot or natural shoe fans. They're not perfect - primarily because at 15mm they're a little too high off the ground ...

... but there's no question that your feet maintain full flexibility and natural biomechanics when wearing the Hemp shoe. You can roll it ... you just can't smoke it.

Another recurring construction point with Sanuk shoes is the outsoles, which provide very little traction at all. On the Hemp shoe, the regular Happy U pattern is overlain with a sheer, very thin fabric of some sort, which actually makes them even less grippy. I'm not sure what Sanuk is doing here, but it's the one clear drawback of the company's shoes.

Otherwise, the Hemp is a crazy-comfortable, highly versatile sidewalk sandal that demonstrates an effective and responsible use of the plant in question - even if the DEA won't hear of it. Sanuk's Hemp shoe retails for $50 from Amazon.com.

Quite fitting with a simple and remarkably effective plant is this Ben Harper gem, featuring one of the simplest and most remarkably effective riffs in his entire catalog.

Ben Harper, "Burn One Down" (click to play):

*Product provided by Sanuk. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

**If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Spirit of Big Sur; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-04-28T15:15:00.001-07:00

Going back to the old days for this weekend's topic, in honor of Big Sur Marathon weekend on the Monterey Peninsula this Sunday. Big Sur used to be the end-all, be-all race for me ... but then triathlons and ultramarathons came along, and nowadays it seems like just another race.

However, it doesn't take much for me to recall just how amazing the race experience can be, and just how incomparable the Big Sur coastline is as a backdrop for a race. It was these kind of recollections that formed the topic of our Monterey Herald column this week, which follows below.

And we may as well stick with the theme for our Random Shot of Beauty:

Bixby Bridge at mile 13 of the Big Sur Marathon course, as photographed for my 2009 race report.

To anyone who is running this Sunday: be sure to savor the experience, because it's truly one of the best you'll ever have. And to anyone who hasn't run Big Sur yet: be sure to put it on your list someday. You can thank me later.

**

Running Life 04/28/12 “Spirit of Big Sur”

Can a race be a religious experience? The question often comes up when we talk to Big Sur neophytes, because we're reminded of the awe and wonder of the marathon experience through unfamiliar eyes.

We often have opportunities to support friends who have taken on the challenge of running the Big Sur Marathon. This year a relatively talented newcomer named John has joined us for several training runs, and has been enthusiastically following our advice.

After John’s last long training run he invited us to his house for a beer, and started asking questions about his taper. (Which should have started with, "Why are we drinking beer?") When Mike headed to the refrigerator for another Anchor Steam, he noticed large “John 3:16” signs displayed prominently on the door.

When Mike returned he commented, “I didn’t know you were religious.”

John replied, “I’m not particularly religious - why do you ask?”

Mike said, “Because you have John 3:16 signs on the fridge.”

John remarked, “Oh, that’s funny - I didn’t even think of that. You guys told me to motivate myself by putting my goal marathon time where I could see it, so I picked the fridge. I think I can run 7 minutes and 30 seconds a mile, which works out to 3 hours and 16 minutes.”

The exchange triggered an interesting discussion of running and religion - or perhaps running AS religion. Along the way we touched upon some great pieces advice for anyone running the Big Sur Marathon, regardless of their ability level.

The most important point is this: whether you are running Big Sur for the first time or the 27^th; whether your goal is breaking 3 hours, setting a personal best time, or just reaching Carmel before they tear down the finish line; whether or not you are religious, you have to realize that on Sunday, you will be doing something absolutely magical.

This race and this place are special. The magnificence of the shoreline, the crashing of the surf, and the tranquility of pastoral hillsides - regardless of whether you believe God created them, can be used to enrich your journey up the coast. Beautiful music will provide a soundtrack to the splendor at multiple locations along the way. Be sure to savor all of it on race day, and don't let yourself just stare at the white line on the road

Channel the excited energy of the doves released at the start as they fly in serpentine patterns, framed by hills and redwoods on their journey home. Feel the camaraderie of 6,000 feet echoing through the redwood groves of Big Sur. Greet the breeze that awaits you at Molera State Park with a smile; it's here that you'll see your first glimpse of the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Be envigorated and challenged by the two-mile climb up to Hurricane Point, and capture a memory for a lifetime as you cross Bixby Bridge and hear Michael Martinez on the Grand Piano.

In the "lonely miles” from 16 to 21, when the spectators disappear, ponder what a gift it is to be able to run a marathon. Yes, you'll be uncomfortable - but that's part of the experience. Keep taking step after step to prove how strong you are in both body and spirit.

After you finish (and we KNOW you will), keep your finisher’s medal as a constant reminder of the magic of the Big Sur Marathon and its power, like a religious revival, to uplift your very soul.

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Once in a Lifetime: Mokelumne River 50-Mile Race Report

2012-04-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

"You may ask yourself, 'Well, how did I get here?'"

- Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime" (video after post)

Even though I plan things out ahead of time, sometimes I have no idea how I get myself into these race situations. A great example is last weekend's Mokelumne River 50-Miler, where I found myself in one of the most unpredictable places I could ever imagine: crossing the finish line first in an official race.

But before you start throwing me in the conversation with Roes, Krupicka, or Jornet, allow me to fill you in on some details. The most important one is this: it was a very small race.

How small, you ask? Well, this was a shot of the entire race field about 2 minutes before the start. The group above includes marathoners and 50K runners in addition to 50-mile entrants. Although it isn't a new race, I suspect turnout for the Mokelumne events may have been low for a couple of reasons: 1) race day temps were forecast in the mid-90s, and 2) Maybe people don't like to sign up for a race they can't pronounce.

(For the record, it's Mo - KELL - um - knee, but I had a lot of trouble with it at first too. To make things easier, you can just do what the locals do and call it the "Moke 50".)

The more legitimate, not to mention tragic, reason this race flew under the radar is that it wasn't officially on the race calendar until a couple of months ago. The Moke 50 was formerly part of the Ultrarunner.net series operated by Robert and Linda Mathis, the husband and wife co-race directors who were struck by a car and killed last New Year's Eve. Many Northern California ultrarunners who enjoyed their races experienced profound sadness through the winter ... and then as spring approached, suddenly realized there weren't nearly as many races on their calendar anymore.

Into that void stepped Jimmy Gabany, owner of Nevada-based Elemental Running, who took over the vast majority of the Ultrarunner.net series. Unfortunately, the permit process for the Moke 50 wasn't finalized until just a handful of weeks before race day, which is a fairly short period of time to spread the word - and results in a fairly small crowd lining up on the start line.

It's really kind of a shame, because the Moke 50 course is downright brutal - and it's just the kind of thing hardcore ultrarunners would love. The trails are rough but beautiful, there's an insane amount of climbing (although there's no official measurement, Jimmy estimates 13K to 15K of climbing), and the heat was relentless. It's also a little bit long - 51.4 miles according to the pre-race e-mail - which is just the kind of poke in the eye that ultrarunners find endearing.

And with that, let's continue the report - as usual, you can click any photo to enlarge ...

The vast majority of the course is an out and back route along the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail, an incomplete network that will eventually connect the high Sierras to the San Francisco Bay. The sections around Mokelumne are mostly fire road, which allows plenty of space for the *huge* crowds of runners to thin out. (Incidentally, this shot was less than a mile into the race; jostling for position wasn't exactly a problem out there.)

The hills start right away as well, which helped to keep everybody honest about setting out too quickly - that, plus the air temperature was already in the 70s at 6:30AM.

About four miles into the race is one of the prettiest sections of the whole course, as fire roads give way to singletrack ...

... and views of Camanche Reservoir in the distance add a nice touch of scenery. I was with a small pack of runners at this point, and it was early enough in the race (and we were all mellow enough) to stop and pose for some photos.

The trail soon enters a pastoral setting with cows in the distance; a few miles further down the trail, our group was stopped by a couple of cowboys on horseback who asked if we saw their cattle ...

... um, yup, we saw them - about a mile earlier. They had even caused a roadblock before we eventually scared them away. By the way, what you can't see in this photo are two girls who are scared of cows hiding in the bushes to the left. Ultrarunners: we're tough as hell, but not always the bravest folks around.

This is the Wildermuth House, which dates from the 1860s and used to be situated between two heavily used mining areas; today, it's the only house for miles around, and is also the approximate turnaround point for the marathon runners, where we lost a few of our already small pace group.

A few miles later, we'd lose the 50K runners to another turnaround point, which made the long descent down to Pardee Reservoir seem even lonier. At this point, I had no idea how many runners were in front of me, but I figured that since I started near the back of the group, any 50-milers would still be well ahead somewhere.

The trails around the reservoir were very lush, which is nice from the standpoint of having something pretty to look at, but often challenging in terms of actually being able to follow the trail. A lot of this section was spent just following a pair of footprints in the tall grass and hoping they belonged not just to a runner, but to a runner who wasn't lost.

A handful of tiny little creek crossings like this one may not look significant, but they provided great opportunities to rub of the sweat from your face and hands on the outbound trip - and on the return, they would prove to be invaluable.

Remember my rule? If there are cows on the course, they're going in the report. These cows weren't particularly happy about giving up the trail - but at mile 21 and 95 degrees, I wasn't exactly thrilled to deal with them either.

This is a place called Patti's Point, which is the summit of an absolutely brutal climb between two low gulches. This climb would be a turning point later in the race - but on the outbound leg, it just seemed like a nice spot to rest and take some timer photos.

On the descent from Patti's Point lies a signpost indicating "The Longest Mile", which is a very steep, technical descent down stone and wooden stairs ...

... before bottoming out at a bridge at Spanish Gulch and going up an equally tough climb on the other side. This also was near the end of a nearly 8-mile stretch between aid stations, which in the mid-day heat on the hardest part of the course seemed completely diabolical.

As I mentioned, I believed almost all of the 50-mile runners were ahead of me at this point - so when I rolled into the Gwen Mine Road aid station at mile 23 and was told there was only one runner in front of me, I figured that some people must have gotten lost ...

... which wasn't too far-fetched, as I went off course a number of times myself, either because turns weren't clearly marked in the high grass, or because I was starting to get dizzy from the heat. Probably a combination of both. Regardless, I never saw the leader come back from the turnaround point, possibly because I wandered away somewhere near this bridge on my way there.

At the turnaround aid station, I asked about the lead runner, and they said, "She just left about 10 minutes ago!" This was when the competitive juices percolated a bit, because in the world of ultrarunning, making up 10 minutes over 25 miles is really nothing.

Did I say over 25 miles? Make that over four miles. I finally got my first glimpse of the leader back at the Gwen Mine aid station (3 miles from the turnaround), as she left while I was checking in. Approximately one mile later, I caught her on the climb to Patti's Point, and I found myself in the lead.

I slowed down to talk to her for a few minutes, and she was very friendly and gracious, despite having some clear distress in the heat of the day. And in case you're wondering: no, I didn't take her picture. I figured the last thing she wanted was some idiot posting a photo of her struggling in an ultra while being passed by a dude in moccasins. A short time later, however, I did take a self-photo that kind of summed up my reaction to being in first place:

This is my Oh my gosh, I'm in first place in an ultra! Dear Lord please don't let me screw this up - there are a ton of things that can go wrong during the last 20 miles on a hot day face. I don't get to use it very often.

As soon as I overtook the lead, there was only one thought in my mind: I want to win this thing. It's worth mentioning that despite racing for more than 20 years, I've never won any race outright. And it didn't take a genius to realize that I'd probably never get another opportunity to do so; this was a once in a lifetime chance that I really didn't want to screw up.

So when I got back to the top of Patti's Point, there was no time to pose for pictures, because I didn't want to give up too much of my lead, and I knew I still needed to set aside some time for a key strategic move:

Cooling myself in every possible creek I could find. On the return trip, these stops weren't the "splash your hands and face" variety - they were the "lay as flat as possible and completely soak your body and clothes" kind that gave me some measure of relief from the heat, which by now was probably well over 100 degrees in the canyons.

At the mile 35 aid station, I filled two water bottles full of ice (and sports drink) and took off running. And with the race finish finally seeming manageable, I became more and more paranoid about how far back the second place runner was. The ice in my waist bottle was making a clunking noise, which I kept thinking sounded like footsteps ... but whenever I had a chance to look over my shoulder for a long backward glance, I couldn't see anybody. That didn't stop me from imagining I was being reeled in ...

... but it did allow me enough peace of mind to keep dunking myself in every little puddle I could find - such as this one after I got all soaked up and ready to take on the last 13 miles.

With about 12 miles to go the course returns to the pretty single track I enjoyed so much on the way out. Whether it was the single track, the prospect of winning, or the fact that I just left another aid station, I really got a second wind through this section ...

... and even paused for a couple more photo ops along the way. What - you're not supposed to pose for timer photos when you're in the lead of an ultra? Obviously I'm not familiar with the protocol for this sort of thing.

The only downside of the single track was that I couldn't see very far behind me, so of course I kept imagining that someone was gaining.

Reaching the last aid station, I knew there were approximately 4 miles to go, and I felt like I had enough in the tank to move steadily toward the finish line ...

... but just to be sure, I loaded up with a healthy supply of Pepsi and ice to bring me home.

The final miles were hilly, but at least they finally afforded some shade - which was nice, because the temperature was still 90 degrees at 6PM. Truth be told, I was completely cooked by this point, and it was all I could do to keep a steady pace ...

... until finally - almost 12 hours after I started - I saw the finish area in the distance, took one last look over my shoulder, and staggered across the line to collapse onto a bench for a long-awaited rest. I made it all of about 30 seconds before trying to confirm what I wanted to know, though - so almost as soon as I sat down I asked the RD, "So, um ... have any other 50-milers finished already?"

Nobody had - and that's how I got my once in a lifetime first place award. Don't worry, though - I don't have any false pretense about my ability relative to anybody else out there. As soon as I lace up my moccasins again, my place in the grand pecking order will go back to being the same as it ever was, but I have to admit that it was cool to think of myself as a winner for a few hours out there. And anytime you can feel cool in blazing hot conditions on a brutal ultra course, that goes down as a very good day.

When it comes to all-time most iconic music videos, this one has to be on anyone's top 5 list, right? It's also a nice song to have in your head when rolling through the final miles of a long race. And a reminder for next time: same as it ever was.

Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime" (click to play):

*See other race reports under tab at top of page

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Luna Leadville Sandal Review

2012-04-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Among all of the minimalist shoe companies out there, perhaps none has a more impressive pedigree than Luna Sandals.

The company is the brainchild of Barefoot Ted McDonald, one of the most experienced and accomplished barefoot runners in the word, who the vast majority of minimalist fans first met via Christopher McDougall's landmark Born to Run. McDonald helped fuel Vibram's meteoric rise to success, introducing FiveFingers to the road running world at the 2006 Boston Marathon, and to the ultrarunning community a few years later (with KSO Treks this time) at the Leadville 100.

Barefoot Ted and Manuel Luna; photo by Luis Escobar, taken from Luna website

One interesting side note to the now-legendary pilgrimage described in Born to Run is that while in the Copper Canyons, Barefoot Ted spent a great deal of time with a Tarahumara elder named Manuel Luna, who taught him the art of making huarache sandals. Upon his return to the United States, McDonald experimented combining Luna's old world design and craftsmanship with modern day materials - and the result was his own brand of footwear, named after his Tarahumara mentor.

I was initially somewhat hesitant to review a Luna product, because I've never really preferred running in huaraches over more conventionally styled minimalist footwear. However, all it took to change my mind was one single word: Leadville.

Luna Leadville sandals

Leadville, as in the place where the Tarahumara showed up and provided the inspiration for the modern-day minimalist renaissance. Leadville, as in the race where Barefoot Ted debuted his first pair of Luna sandals in 2010, and where no fewer than five members of the Luna team - who refer to themselves as "Luna Monkeys" - wore their huaraches during the event in 2011. Leadville ... as in the 100-miler I'm going to attempt later this summer. (I still get shivers whenever I type that, in case you're wondering.)

So when I learned that one of Luna's 2012 models was called the Leadville, and that the website describes it as a "rugged sandal designed for hardcore trails," I figured I pretty much had to give them a test run. At the very least, I was running out of rational reasons to avoid them.

A short description of the Luna Leadville is that it's a modern-day huarache with just enough protection underfoot to use in rough trail conditions. With a 10mm Vibram neoprene rubber platform, it actually has a higher stack height than FiveFingers, as well as the Soft StarRunAmocs I typically use for ultras. There's more than enough thickness to take the sting out of sharp rocks, but enough flexibility to maintain outstanding ground feel. You can also order an optional suede layer (as pictured on mine) that adds approximately 1 extra millimeter of height along with a significant amount of comfort.

The outsole features one of the most aggressive tread patterns I've seen on minimalist footwear (I wish my RunAmocs used this), and holds my foot in position quite well on most types of terrain. This is a particularly critical point with huaraches, because ...

... for obvious reasons, there's not much structure on top to keep your foot from moving around. I'd suspect that most huarache users will tell you the biggest challenge with any pair is getting the fit just right: making them tight enough to hold your foot in place, but not so constricting that they are uncomfortable. There's a lot of customization in adjusting the tension over the top of the foot or the back of the heel, and it takes a lot of trial and error that can often times become frustrating.

To help address this, Luna sandals can be ordered with three different lace styles: traditional leather straps like the Tarahumara use, elasticized laces that are easy to slip on and off after you get the right positions dialed in, or the company's new ATS (all terrain strapping) lacing system, which is a hybrid of elastic and nylon.

My Leadville sandals came with the ATS system, and I initially had a lot of difficulty getting the heel tension just right; the strap kept sliding down off my heel, and when I tightened it enough to stay in place, my toes were pushed too far forward on the footbed. One of the Luna Monkeys gave me some tips to try, and I eventually figured out a setting where the straps are comfortable and stay in place well - but if you'll notice on the picture above, I had to move the elasticized portions of the heel strap pretty far out of their standard neutral alignment to find the right balance.

I have my lace system dialed in well enough that there's very little separation of the footbed from the underside of my foot while running. One of my pet peeves about running in sandals is when small pebbles get between your foot and the footbed, but once I figured out the best lacing system, this wasn't a big issue for me with my Leadvilles. They also give me much better lateral stability than I've experienced with other huaraches, so that was a nice surprise.

Toes creeping over the front edge

The fit issue did come into play again when running on downhills, where my toes slide forward on the footbed, at times to the point of contacting the ground. I suspect this might be an inherent issue with any huaraches, but I'm still tinkering with mine a bit to see if I can improve the situation. I'm also told that the footbed contours to your foot after extended use, but I haven't logged enough miles in my pair to attest to that.

One other point on the fit is that Luna sandals can be selected from "off the shelf" last sizes (although each pair is still hand-cut), or custom ordered based on your specific foot measurements. I tried a standard last that is closest to my US shoe size, and it's a pretty accurate fit - I don't think I could have done any better by custom ordering. However, since fit is such a crucial issue with huaraches, if you have any sort of size irregularities, you're probably better off doing a custom order.

While I'm not entirely converted to using huaraches for my long-distance training, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the Luna Leadville. They are more comfortable and protective than I anticipated, and they inspire a similar kind of primal feel that I love so much about my moccasins. They would be a great option for someone like me who is considering building up to more frequent huarache use, as well as for experienced users seeking to push the limits of distance and terrain.

Luna's Leadville sandals retail for $85 from the company website.

*Product provided by Luna

**If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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New Balance Minimus Zero Trail Winners; GU Sampler Pack Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-04-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Getting right to the point since I'm completely cooked from a long day on the trail ...

New Balance Minimus Zero Trail winners: Keith Gates and Louisa

GU Energy Performance Sampler Pack winners: Jacob and Pre Lives On.

To the winners: e-mail me your contact info and shoe size if necessary. To everyone else: thanks very much for your participation!

**
Our Random Shot of Beauty comes from the aforementioned long day on the trail:

Pardee Reservoir in Calaveras County, as seen during the Mokelumne 50-Mile Ultra. Full race report to follow this week.

One more photo from the day: we'll call this a Random Shot of "How the Heck Did This Happen?":

Team Soft Star gets the win! That would be me, holding my first place award. Just don't ask how many people were actually in the race. Seriously ... Just. Don't.

Hopefully the race report will clear things up - assuming, that is, that I can make sense of it myself.

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Team Soft Star Heads to the Hills

2012-04-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

Admin note: if you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter the two giveaway contests currently underway, for the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail, and the GU Energy sampler packs. Winners of both contests will be announced Saturday night, but not until late, because …

**
It’s race season! Somewhere in the midst of all those training miles, winter turned to spring – and spring brings with it the first major tests of the year. I have two of them coming up in short succession, beginning with a 50-miler on Saturday in the Sierra foothills. That’s why I was excited to see the following box arrive last week:

Team Soft Star gear! Actually, the brown slippers aren’t part of my sponsorship deal – they’re a replacement pair of insanely comfortable Roo slippers that my wife forced me to buy, because apparently after nearly three years of wearing a pair almost every single day (usually without socks) they start to develop an odor. Or something like that.

As for the swag: the gray piece on the right is the first-of-its kind Team Soft Star jacket! Last year I did two ultras in pouring rain, so I didn’t get to “flash the logo” nearly as often as I wanted to – so the company responded by springing for a jacket I can wear in similar race conditions this year. Predictably, the weather for tomorrow’s race is supposed to be in the 90s, so I suspect the jacket may wait for another day.

The other item, of course, is a race-ready pair of original RunAmoc Lites, which will most likely be my gear of choice for big events throughout the racing season. There’s nothing like the smell of new leather and the feel of a freshly knobbed outsole to get me excited about trail running. And if you’re wondering about the paper in the background:

Here’s what distinguishes companies like Soft Star and guys like me from the big-name players in ultrarunning. Real athletes are sponsored by companies like Montrail and The North Face, and have shoes named after them or glossy ad campaigns built around them. I get a handwritten good luck card from a workshop of Elves – and honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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GU Roctane Energy Drink Review; GU Sampler Giveaway Contest

2012-04-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

Before today’s giveaway post, a reminder that there’s another contest still going on, for a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes - so go sign up if you haven’t already.

**
Now that spring is here and I’m ramping up my training mileage with some races on the horizon, I’m spending more time tinkering with fluid and calorie replacement issues out on the trail. Consequently, the timing of today’s giveaway was extremely fortunate, because it gave me a chance to try a new product from GU Energy, a company whose products have pulled me through countless tough miles.

Oh, and have I mentioned that there’s a giveaway involved? Not only that, but the prize is much better for you than it was for me: in addition to getting to try the product I was testing, you’ll also get a sampler of old and new GU products to fuel your endurance adventures this spring and summer. But before I get to the details, indulge me in a brief rundown of the product I tested.

You may recall that earlier this year I hosted a giveaway for GU Roctane Energy Drink before the product was even released – you may also recall that I didn’t get to actually test the stuff myself. (Not that I’m bitter – in fact, the whole thing ended in a cool way, with one devoted reader making a video that earned him the prize. I’m still impressed with that one.) Needless to say, I was happy for an opportunity to finally try the stuff myself after a sampler pack of all three flavors – Fruit Punch, Grape, and Lemon-Lime – arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago.

GU Roctane Energy Drink

As I described it back in January, Roctane drink mix is to regular GU Brew sort of like Roctane gel is to regular GU. Each serving contains 240 calories of complex and simple carbs that are optimized for rapid absorption and accessibility, along with electrolytes and other supplements for sustained performance during long-duration aerobic activity.

Interestingly, the sodium and potassium levels in Roctane drink are lower than they are in regular GU Brew, although it’s tough to tell at first glance because the serving sizes of the two are different. However, it’s the additional ingredients that set Roctane drink apart: taurine to support heart and muscle performance, beta-alanine to improve muscle buffering capacity, branch chain amino acids to reduce muscle damage and delay fatigue, and histidine to help buffer pH during exercise.

Another upgrade from an ultrarunning standpoint is the addition of caffeine, which is absent from regular GU Brew. The grape Roctane drink flavor is caffeine-free, but the other two flavors have 35mg of caffeine per serving to keep your brain alert during long hot days or long dark nights. Combine the caffeine boost with the rest of the nutritional profile, and the Roctane drink would definitely be my preference on race day if it’s available.

From a taste standpoint, Roctane drink has a similarly mild flavor as GU Brew, which is one of the main reasons I’ve always preferred GU drinks over other brands. I typically dilute mine much thinner than the serving instructions, but even at full strength there isn’t an excessively sweet taste. Of course, taste is subjective, which is how we’ll segue to the part you’ve been waiting for: the big giveaway.

Two winners chosen at random from the comments below will receive a few packets of each GU Roctane Energy Drink mix flavor to try for yourselves – but to “sweeten” the deal, GU is throwing in a couple of other goodies. Each winner will also receive one of these:

A GU Performance Energy sampler pack with multiple flavors of regular GU and three flavors of GU Roctane gel, plus sample packets of GU Chomps, GU Electrolyte Brew and GU Recovery Brew. Pretty cool, huh? Now how much would you pay to enter? But wait, there’s more …

You’ll also receive samples of GU’s newly released Chocolate Smoothie Recovery Brew. This is another item that I’ve never tried myself, but two of my readers will get the privilege of testing them out.

We’ll do the regular “one comment, one entry” system on this one, with one small twist to help tilt the odds in favor of endurance athletes. If you’re signed up for a trail ultra or long-distance triathlon this spring or summer, tell me the name of the race in the comments below, and I’ll put your name in for an additional entry. Winners will be announced Saturday night, April 21st.

Thanks very much to GU Energy for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

*Products provided by GU Energy
**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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My One Thing

2012-04-16T18:54:00.002-07:00

“Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.”
- Plato

“Do not try to do everything. Do one thing well.”
– Steve Jobs

You know, it may be entirely possible that I’m spending too much time and energy on all of my writing and running efforts; for all I know, my true calling might lay elsewhere.

At least, that was the thought that came to mind after a copy of April 2012’s Men’s Health magazine arrived in my mailbox:

The publisher sent me a copy free of charge after soliciting my consulting services for an article in this issue – but unfortunately, it’s not for any of the glamorous topics you see mentioned here. I don’t have huge biceps, and I’m certainly not Special Forces fit. I don’t know how to melt your gut. And I can’t even claim I know what a Sexplosion is, let alone pretend to be an expert at it.

Rather, my contribution was in a lower-profile feature titled “How to Do Everything Better” – but that’s not my piece on the first page describing how to host a poker game …

… or the smaller caption a couple of pages further that explains how to score a free hotel upgrade. Rather, my part is the small red box at the lower center, which if you look closer …

… diagrams the perfect technique for launching a snot rocket. And if you look REALLY closely at the 4-point font underneath, you’ll see two sources cited: some fancy-pants physician instructor at a major medical school, and me, with the not-quite-as-grandiose title of “Blogger.” (On the plus side, at least my degree didn’t rack up a six-figure debt.)

Apparently over the years I’ve developed an online reputation as an expert in the fine art of snot rocketry, almost entirely thanks to this little treatise I penned a number of years ago. Since its original publication, the piece gets picked up regularly by other web-media outlets, and ranks toward the top of most snot rocket-related Google searches. While I wasn’t looking, I became one of the foremost authorities on the art of forcibly expelling snot from your nostrils. I’m sure my family is exceedingly proud.

(Incidentally, Google also subscribes to the “Do one thing well” philosophy that’s simultaneously as old as Plato and as visionary as Steve Jobs; check out item number two on this list.)

The funny part is, for major publications like Men’s Health, snot rocketry is serious business. In preparation for the postage stamp-sized garden of knowledge you see on the page, I was contacted by a fact-checker from the magazine, with whom I had the following exchange:

Her: I have the edited version of the information you provided - I hope you will take a moment to review it for accuracy:

"Lightly breathe through your nagging nostril. In one swift motion, seal the opposite nostril tightly with the pad of your index or thumb, rotate your hips and shoulders toward the direction of fire, inhale through your mouth, close your mouth and then exhale vigorously in one swift blast through the nose. Wait until you have a full load before launching, as thinner mucous is more likely to spray."

Me: That’s pretty much accurate – I don’t think I used the term “nagging nostril”, though.

Her: The editor says it means you can check if you need to clear the mucus by breathing lightly through the nostril that seems clogged. If you can't blow easily through, then you may need to clear it. Does that make sense?

Me: Got it - that makes sense. Funny (and kind of gross) that we're getting so scientific about snot rockets.

Her: Yes, it's kind of gross.

Then I had to approve a rough draft of the diagram that somebody probably got paid to sketch:

If I remember correctly, I used to doodle things like this in chemistry class a long time ago, never realizing there could be a future career in it.

So now I’m sort of lamenting the fact that so many of my years may have been misguided. I’ve spent all this time trying to be a writer, gear resource, and minimalist shoe expert, when what I really should have been doing is leveraging my one true area of expertise. And who knows? Maybe I’ll find my new calling to be just as rewarding; as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - that is to have succeeded.” And a booger-free nose definitely breathes easier than a snot-clogged one.

Yes, quoting Emerson is a pretty highbrow statement on the subject of snot rockets – but then again, that’s what an expert does.

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Vibram Spyridon LS Winner; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-04-14T18:24:00.001-07:00

Before today's post, a reminder and an announcement: you still have a week to enter the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail contest, and stay tuned next week for another (smaller) giveaway as well.

*
For a contest that was thrown together on short notice, you guys sure know how to make things exciting.

The photo competition came down to a two-man contest - or should I say, a one-man one-dog contest between Rodger (the guy running across the giant butt) and Harry (the almost impossibly cute canine sporting powder blue Vibrams). The lead actually changed hands a couple of times through the day and evening, and by the time the polling officially closed, you could count the vote differential on one hand.

Having said that, congratulations to Rodger, who prevailed by the narrowest of margins and probably owes a favor to all his classmates, dorm buddies, and anyone else on campus he recruited to emerge triumphant. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the contest - it really was a lot of fun to watch.

However, you may also recall that my intention was to use the winning photo as this weekend's Random Shot of Beauty - but since the photo in question is an enormous backside, the notion of actually describing it as beautiful may be somewhat up for debate. So I'm covering my bases with one from the photo vault, taken on a recent early morning in Fort Ord:

Encountering a sort of otherworldly scene like this - one that's only accessible about 15 miles from my starting point - right at daybreak almost always marks the time in a long run where spending the previous three hours in the dark begins to seem worth it.

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Get Out the Vote! Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Finalists

2012-04-12T19:59:00.001-07:00

You know what we haven’t done for a while? An audience participation post! Which is a shame, because I have to say that my audience is pretty darn awesome.

Case in point is today’s contest, with a new pair of Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS on the line. I put out the call for photo entries featuring barefoot or Vibram-shod adventurers, figuring I could pick three or five standouts as finalists before turning it over to the voters. The problem, predictably, is that I couldn’t narrow the options down to just five – and since I also happen to be the one who makes the rules around here, I figured that there was no reason why I couldn’t expand the field just a bit. As in, more than 100%.

So here are your 10 finalists, plus one more bonus picture that I can’t honestly determine whether or not it’s a legitimate entry. (You’ll understand once you get there.) The rules are simple: vote in the comments section below for your favorite – one vote per commenter – and the one with the highest number of votes by Saturday at 12PM PST wins the Vibrams. If you’re a contestant, it’s definitely fair game to recruit your family, friends, and fellow Starbucks free Wi-fi patrons to vote for you, just as long as they all have a different username.

Good luck to everyone. Here we go!

**
Entrant #1: Chris S.

Sure, it looks like your run-of-the-mill ocean vista shot, but here’s the cool part: That ocean in the distance is the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans above Cape Town, South Africa.

**
Entrant #2: Chris M.

Another entry from the “exotic locales I’ll probably never see” category: this one comes from Ile Renote in northwest France, with the Château de Costaérès in the background. Tres belle.

**
Entrant #3: Dave

I’m partial to this one, because it’s taken above the Big Sur coastline, and I happen to know the guy who submitted it – as in, in real life. I know ... weird, huh?

**
Entrant #4: Rodger

This one seemed compelling for no other reason than Rodger is running across what can only be described as an enormous butt. So in the space of two entries, we’ve gone from chateaus to rear ends; have I mentioned how interesting my readers are?

**
Entrant #5: Sean

Back to the exotic: Apparently this is someplace called Sud Tirol in Italy. It suddenly occurs to me that I’ve seen remarkably little of the world; this contest is starting to bum me out.

**
Entrant #6: Dylan

Kind of a cool repose, above a cliff-jumping spot called Tar Creek in Fillmore, CA. I suspect Dylan might be friends with the next entrant …

**
Entrant #7: Cody

… who is also perched on a high precipice (next to a waterfall, no less) above the very same Tar Creek.

**
Entrant #8: Jen

Hey - where are all the female entrants? Sadly, I only received a few from the ladies, but this was one of the coolest, with Jen getting her barefoot yoga on at the top of a mountain. Extra points for the hat, too.

**
Entrant #9: Jeff

The Manitou Springs Incline is legendary among Colorado trail runners. This is the view about halfway up. Sheesh. Extra points to Jeff here for getting the photographer to wear Vibrams, too.

**
Entrant #10: Orlin

I had to include one snow entry just to remind myself how much I don’t like winter. Plus, there’s a dog, and some famous Philadelphia thing in the background, so there you go.

**
Speaking of dogs, it’s time for our bonus entrant, who I believe goes by the name of Harry:

I’m not sure the FiveFingers would fit him, but perhaps his owner would like a pair.

**
And there you have it – now it’s time to vote! Remember, one vote per commenter, but feel free to campaign as much as you like to stuff the ballot. The winner will be announced on Saturday afternoon. Thanks very much to everyone who entered, and good luck to all the finalists!

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New Balance Minimus Zero Trail Review and Giveaway

2012-04-11T20:01:00.006-07:00

Before today's contest, a reminder that you've got less than one day left to submit photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS giveaway contest. Tick tock!

**

In my Minimus Zero Road shoe review, I described how New Balance went back to the drawing board and completely revamped their Minimus lineup after collecting user and laboratory feedback about the first generation released last year. It’s especially telling that they did this with the Minimus Trail model, which proved to be one of the most popular shoes of 2011, and played a monumental role in introducing minimalism to the masses.

Or, to use another analogy: if you consider last season’s version an opening bid toward minimalism, think of this year’s Minimus Zero Trail as New Balance going all-in. It features several changes that purists will appreciate, and strips away every ounce of unnecessary construction to create an extremely lightweight, highly flexible trail runner that still provides decent protection for rugged or technical off-road conditions. Most – but maybe not all of - the upgrades from last year’s model are improvements, and with the finished product, New Balance pretty much sets a new standard for lightweight, high-performance minimalist trail shoes.

And if that isn’t enough to get you excited … you guessed it, we’re doing a giveaway! One male and one female winner will receive a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes to enjoy for his and herself – but in the meantime, let’s run through the standard review:

New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

Here’s what will probably happen when you take the Minimus Zero Trail out of the box: the first thought that comes to mind will be, Holy cow are these things light. And when you put them on your feet, you’ll have nearly the same reaction. Above all the other improvements, that will almost certainly be the hallmark of the Minimus Zero Trail: the shoe is almost incredibly light.

At a mere 4.4 oz, it feels like there’s almost nothing on my feet – and coming from an experienced barefoot and minimalist runner, that’s saying something. The Minimus Zero Trails weigh less than any of Vibram’s FiveFingers (including the bare-bones SeeYa), Soft Star’s RunAmoc, and virtually any other standard bearer for light and minimal footwear.

As the revamped name of these models implies, New Balance corrected the primary drawback of last year’s edition and created a completely flat platform from heel to toe. Stack height is approximately 10mm, which places it about halfway in between Vibram’s Spyridon LS and Merrell’s Trail Gloves.

From the medial view you can also see the synthetic suede overlays that help keep the foot stabilized on the insole. Because the upper material is so thin, these overlays are crucial to prevent movement inside the shoe …

… as is the lined insole, which combines with a traditional tongue and lace system to keep the foot securely in place. Unlike my complaint about the Minimus Zero Road, I haven’t experienced any problems with forefoot movement in the Zero Trail, even on steep hills or highly technical terrain.

I was initially disappointed that New Balance replaced the upper material on last year’s Minimus Trail, which had a true slipper-like feel and was one of the most comfortable shoes I tested all year. The updated upper is remarkably thin, paper-like and translucent, constructed from a durable nylon that resists scratches and abrasions quite well. It seems a bit more permeable to dust and fine grit than the previous model, and feels coarser and less supple against my skin. Perhaps that’s why …

Look at the left 4th toe ... or don't.

… the upper material gave me a nice little blister on the top of one toe after my first 8-miler. After a breaking-in period this issue resolved, and the rest of the Zero Trail’s interior is very comfortable for sockless use – however, I do stick with my custom of wearing socks for multi-hour runs in these.

Peek A Boo toes!

One more note about the upper: have I mentioned that they’re thin? Consequently, the Minimus Zero Trail may be more of a warm-weather shoe than an all-season trainer, because your toes will indeed get cold in them, comparable to the poor thermoregulation of most FiveFingers.

For this year’s Minimus Zero Trail, New Balance uses a new Vibram T-Lite outsole rubber (the green stuff) on top of a layer of proprietary ACTEVA midsole foam (the black stuff) that is lighter and more compression-resistant than most other midsole materials commonly used – at least, it’s supposedly more compression-resistant, as you’ll see. One cool indicator of the midsole flexibility is that when I take the shoe off my foot, it often bends in half from heel to toe just like my FiveFingers do.

I’ve been fortunate to have my test pair for several months now, meaning I’ve racked up well over 200 miles on my Minimus Zero Trails. To my eye, it seems that the ACTEVA material has deformed slightly underneath the higher density green pods at impact areas. Of course, minimalist runners don’t expect much in the way of structure anyway, but the wear pattern thus far suggests that overall durability may be slightly diminished compared to its predecessor.

Placement of the outsole rubber was designed after reviewing wear patterns of from the previous model. The new outsole is even more deeply lugged than the prior version, which was already very aggressive and grippy in practically all conditions, and I’ve really had no problems with traction anywhere, especially on wet rocks or mud. However, spacing of the lugs is so wide that there is room for smaller pointy rocks to jut between them – think of gravel fire roads - so if you’re not accustomed to minimalist running yet, your feet could feel a bit of bruising on highly rocky or technical terrain.

That speaks to a larger point that distinguishes the Minimus Zero Trail from its predecessor: it’s a no-apologies minimalist shoe for runners who are sure of their technique. If you’re not an experienced minimalist runner, start in small doses with this shoe just as you would with a pair of Vibrams. And if you’re still transitioning or still want some substance or structure from your shoes, the Minimus Zero Trail is probably more then you’re ready for.

So … are YOU ready for it? If so, let’s get our contest on. Same procedure for this one as for the road version: one male and one female winner will be chosen at random from the comments below. One entry for a plain ol’ comment, one extra for a Facebook or Twitter link, and a third for a blog link. Include links or URLs so I can verify, and let me know if you’re male or female if it’s not obvious from your username. Winners will be announced Saturday night, April 21.

If you’d rather not take your chance or wait that long, the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail retails for $109 from TravelCountry.com. Special thanks to New Balance for sponsoring this review and contest, and good luck to everyone!

*Product provided by New Balance. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Patagonia Strider Shorts Review; Patagonia Nine Trails Shorts Review

2012-04-09T19:34:00.007-07:00

Quick reminder before today's post: remember to send in your photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon giveaway - finalists will be announced Thursday night.

*
Now that springtime is here, it’s almost time to put the long pants in the back of the drawer and assess your inventory of running shorts. If you’re an ultrarunner, it’s also time to start thinking about what specific clothing items you’ll wear on the start line of your upcoming events.

This year I’ve had the opportunity to test two new shorts from Patagonia – one of which isn’t technically new, as I’ll explain shortly – and they’re both quite impressive, but distinctive enough to meet a variety of preferences. Brief reviews of each follow, with purchase information at the end of the post.

**

Patagonia Strider shorts

A couple of months ago Patagonia introduced their Strider short, a lightweight option (total weight is 116g / 4.1 oz) that is great for warm days. Fabric construction primarily consists of a thin, breezy polyester mesh that feels super comfortable against the skin, with vertical mesh insets on the sides that provide even more ventilation. The cut is sufficient to allow complete range of motion, and the fabric has a slight stretch component just in case you need a few extra degrees of movement. I tested the 7” inseam version, but if you want to go even lighter there are 5” and 3” versions available. (Trust me – you don’t want to see photos of me in a 3-inch short.) They come in five color options if you want to buy several pairs and rotate your look throughout the week as well.

7" inseams on a 9" tan line ... or as I like to call it, geek sexy.

Both the liner and exterior fabric are highly effective at moisture transfer, and dry very quickly if you happen to get caught in a brief downpour (it is spring, after all). There is a DWR coating on these shorts, but they don’t resist moisture for very long in the aforementioned spring shower. One quirk I found was with the internal drawcord, which is continuous around the waist. I always find these difficult to manage, so I end up cutting them in front – but then you’re left with ends of the cord that are very short and prone to slipping back into the waistband.

Strider waistband; original (uncut) drawstring at bottom

From a performance standpoint, the Striders are pretty much problem-free, with no chafing, excess moisture, or other discomfort during outings in excess of 20 miles. When the weather gets toasty and you’ve got a long trail day ahead, they are great shorts to reach for.

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Patagonia Nine Trails shorts, in gray

The other short I tested is an old reliable favorite that was part of my go-to race gear throughout 2011: Patagonia’s Nine Trails shorts, which tend to sell out online when they’re released each year. The 2012 version is now available in four colors at Patagonia stores and the company website, and I haven’t seen any reason to take it out of my A-lineup heading into this year’s ultras.

Nine Trails in black, on an early-morning 30-miler

Some of the things I like about the Nine Trails may not be for everybody; at 184g (6.5 oz), it’s slightly heavier than other shorts I own, with a longer-than-usual 8” inseam. However, this is an ideal combination for me during ultras: the longer inseam gives me better sun protection during the day, and the thicker material provides better insulation during the night. Fabric construction features a highly breathable stretch-woven polyester - made from recycled plastics, so it’s green! - with a 4-way stretch component from a small dose of spandex. These shorts also have a DWR finish and wick moisture very efficiently from the soft microfiber liner as well as the main panels.

Air-flow polyester mesh crotch, dual reinforced seam construction

What I appreciate most about the Nine Trails is that they are comfortable enough to wear for 30 consecutive hours without chafing or irritation, and durable enough to stand up to hundreds of miles of training and racing. In my experience, the first point of weakness in a pair of shorts is the crotch area, usually due to the seams unraveling, but occasionally due to pilling or thinning of the fabric from excess heat or friction. Patagonia combats this by using a fast-drying Air Flow polyester mesh for maximal ventilation, and reinforced seam assembly for enhanced durability. After more than 18 months of high-mileage running, my Nine Trails shorts show no signs of breakdown, and there’s no reason to suspect the 2012 version is any less dependable.

With these two shorts, Patagonia covers pretty much all the necessities for long trail outings - whether it's light, short and breezy for extremely hot days, or rugged and sturdy for your more ambitious adventures. The Strider shorts retail for $45, and the Nine Trails shorts retail for $60, both from the Patagonia website. If you’re one of my Northern California readers, you can find both models at the Patagonia Palo Alto store at 525 Alma Street, or the Patagonia San Francisco store at 770 North Point.

*Products provided by Patagonia. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
** If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Vibram Flagship Store Grand Opening; Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Giveaway!

2012-04-08T17:34:00.002-07:00

Because the company is based in Massachusetts, Vibram USA has enjoyed using Boston Marathon weekend to launch promotional campaigns over the past few years. The innovative footwear made their road race debut at the marathon several years ago, and the road-running specific Bikila model was introduced there two years ago. Vibram also has a strong presence at the race expo, and has been heavily involved in panel discussions on topics ranging from barefoot running to minimalist footwear to the most efficient styles of running.

This year the promotion takes on an entirely different dimension for the company who, as one of their recent ads shows, has profoundly changed the footwear industry twice over. This weekend, Vibram USA is opening a flagship retail store in Boston, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 14th at noon local time.

According to the press release, the Vibram store is designed as a “brand experience” and a destination where visitors can explore and learn more about Vibram and the benefits of minimalist footwear and training. It will feature “experiential zones” for testing FiveFingers on surfaces such as inlaid marbles, woodchips, grass, a bumpy subway yellow line, and so on. In addition to showcasing all of Vibram’s current styles, the store will also offer select models that are typically sold only in Europe.

If you’re in the Boston area, stop by the store at 292 Newbury Street this Saturday and sign up to win a grand prize of five seasons’ worth of Vibram FiveFingers. But if you’re like me and can’t make it to Boston, I’ll give you an opportunity to win a free pair of your own.

I was honored to be invited to a pre-opening party at the flagship store, but since Boston is slightly out of the way for me in California, Vibram offered to let me be a part of the festivities by awarding a free pair of Vibrams to one of my readers. I chose the Spyridon LS – if you read my Spyridon LS review, you know why – and I’ll announce the winner next Saturday to coincide with the grand opening in Boston.

I also get to choose my own rules for this contest, so I’m going to be a bit creative here: to win, I want photographic proof of how you use your Vibrams, or how you venture into the world barefoot. And since the winner will be announced on a weekend, I’d love something I can use as a random shot of beauty as well.

So here’s how to enter: send me a photo of yourself in a cool outdoor setting, either in a pair of Vibrams, like this one from a Sentinel Dome hike in my KSO Treks:

Or just enjoying the great outdoors barefoot, like this one from a run to the top of Half Dome:

Send your photos to info@runningandrambling.com with the subject line “Vibram contest entry”. My plan is to narrow the entrants down to three or five and post them here, then let readers choose the winner for me. However, this condenses my contest time frame quite a bit, so if you want to enter, please send me a photo ASAP, and I’ll aim to have the finalists posted here by Thursday night.

Obviously, by entering you’re giving me permission to post your name and photo on my website (I’ll also link to your blog if you have one). The winner can be male or female, and will receive a pair of FiveFingers Spyridon LS in whatever size is needed. Good luck to everybody, and special thanks to Vibram for sponsoring this contest!

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New Balance Minimus Zero Road Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-04-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Keeping things short and sweet today so I can jump right into another post slated for tomorrow night; trust me, you'll want to check back for it. Until then, let's knock out our scheduled items of business ...

Winners of the New Balance Minimus Zero Road contest are Sticks for the women's pair, and Stan (9run) for the men's pair. E-mail me your contact info to claim your prizes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the contest, and stay tuned for the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail review and giveaway post coming soon. And remember that you can find the Minimus Zero Road at TravelCountry.com, an affiliate partner where your purchases support Running and Rambling.

**
Our Random Shot of Beauty is an easy one, and continues the theme I re-introduced last weekend regarding springtime in Monterey County. Luckily, I had my regular camera with me this week ...

... so if you click to enlarge, you can see my son on his mountain bike down there (he's the blue dot), riding through a herd of sheep in Fort Ord. It's the kind of encounter that's happened so many times that neither one of them - my son, or probably the sheep as well - considers it even slightly out of the ordinary.

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SKORA BASE and SKORA FORM Review

2012-04-05T20:17:00.003-07:00

Quick announcement before today's post: you've got one more day to enter the New Balance Minimus Zero Road giveaway contest; winners will be announced Saturday. Get going!

**
It not much of an exaggeration to say that one of the most long-awaited minimalist shoes to be released comes from SKORA.

Company founder and CEO David Sypniewski was an early inhabitant of barefoot running forums in the post-Born to Run craze, and by that time he had already been a proponent of natural running – what he refers to as “running real” - for several years. He started spreading word that he was developing a revolutionary minimalist running shoe that would be on the market in the near future.

SKORA FORM

As sometimes happens, the near future turned into the following year, and then another year … and ultimately to Spring of 2012. But SKORA shoes are finally available for purchase – at least, they are for men with a shoe size from 8 to 12. A wider range of men’s sizes as well as women’s styles will be forthcoming later this year, but in the meantime, SKORA offers two models that are both designed to promote Running Real – which, not coincidentally, happens to be the new company’s slogan.

SKORA BASE

One of those models, the FORM – apparently SKORA has chosen the somewhat-irritating convention of writing their company name and shoe models in all caps – comes with a pretty hefty $195 price tag as well, mainly due to material construction of the uppers; more on that in a minute. The BASE is a more affordable $125 option with a different upper – but from a construction standpoint, SKORA shoes have far more similarities than differences, so my review will consider them collectively before getting to the distinctions between models.

As detailed on the SKORA website, the company approaches shoe design and construction with the belief that the best shoe is one that allows the foot, and by extension the entire body, to perform naturally. Many of their design precepts are familiar to minimalist footwear users: anatomic last, zero-drop platform, wide toe box, no heel counter, minimal cushioning, and seamless interior construction for sockless use. They also include a few unique tweaks to optimize mechanics, fit, or comfort – some of these are helpful, others maybe not so much.

The underside of the BASE and FORM are essentially the same, and feature a combination of EVA (the white stuff in the photos) and high-abrasion rubber (the black or blue stuff). One novel element here is that the offset color in the forefoot area is actually slightly concave for enhanced ground feel on foot strike.

Outsole traction is great for roads, even in wet conditions. Of course, I test everything on trails whether they were designed for it or not, and both SKORA models actually do quite well going from road to trail. Rubber in the heel area is convex, which isn’t super effective when running down dirt hills …

… but the forefoot area has enough grip to handle gravel or going uphill on fire roads. Unless you’re tackling extremely technical trails, the SKORA outsole is very nice for hybrid road/trail use.

One of the design tweaks I mentioned earlier is a curvature of the heel, which is intended to encourage a medial to lateral roll of the foot in stance phase. Unfortunately, since I tend to contact the ground pretty far on the medial side of my heels to begin with, this construction created a somewhat unstable feeling underfoot in my testing.

Both SKORA models have the same midsole platform, with a stack height of 13mm off the ground …

… unless you take out the 4mm removable insole, in which case your standing height is a pretty low-riding 9mm. However, I ended up leaving the insole in when testing both models – which leads us to a discussion of the uppers.

The BASE model weighs 7.9 oz, and uses a high tensile stretch mesh material with thin polyurethane overlays for increased durability. The mesh ventilates quite well, and the interior surface gently hugs the foot and feels comfortable against bare skin.

Instead of traditional laces, the BASE uses a nylon X-strap for securing the upper, which I found to be rather problematic. The Velcro attachment square is fairly small, which doesn’t give you a lot of room for tightening.

This is also the reason why I needed the insole: when I removed it, I couldn’t tighten the upper enough to keep my foot from coming out of it, even when the elastic heel strap was tightened.

It’s worth noting that the SKORA website states that the BASE “fits roomy”, and to consider a half-size smaller. The pair I tested was a pre-release version, so I wasn’t aware of that sizing caveat beforehand. You should definitely size down on these, though – especially if you want to remove the insole for lower height and improved ground feel.

According to the website, the FORM reportedly runs true to size, but I found this version to be a little bit roomy as well, so my suspicion is that the SKORA last is just a shade large compared to conventional shoe sizes. Unlike the BASE, the FORM has a lacing system that makes it easier to cinch the upper in place around the foot, but I still found the fit much better with the insole in place. If I were buying a pair of FORMs to start over, I’d still size down one-half size and remove the insole for everyday use.

The FORM weighs 8.2 ounces, and is distinctive mainly for its deluxe upper made of Pittards armor-tan goat skin leather. This is the primary justification for the high price tag on this model, and it’s reminiscent of ECCO’s yak leather upper on their BIOM model a few years back. Having tested both of those shoes, I tend to be a believer in the value of high-quality leather uppers; they’re super soft and comfortable, extraordinarily durable compared to standard mesh, and breathe much better than you’d guess.

In the case of the FORM, interior comfort is further enhanced with a Pittards WR100X sheepskin lining, which is very soft against bare skin, and provides a combination of breathability and water resistance.

Another design tweak for comfort is the burrito-wrap tongue system, which eliminates an entire seam on top of the midfoot. As I mentioned in my New Balance Minimus Zero Road review, this design sometimes compromises forefoot stability, and I did find myself having to cinch down the asymmetric laces fairly tight, especially when running on steep hills. This led to one more quirky issue …

Namely, the laces are WAY too long. When I tied them tightly, even with double knots, the loops of my laces were flopping all over the place and dragging on the ground quite often. This wasn’t really a deal breaker for me, as the solution was fairly simple:

Original shoelace on top, chopped shoelace on bottom

I cut about 6 inches of length out of them, and the laces fit just fine. Like I said, this wasn’t a major issue – but I suspect I would have been a little more irritated if I had spent 200 bucks on my pair. For that kind of money, you shouldn’t have to perform surgery on your shoes to make them fit well.

[*UPDATED: Apparently the production laces are much shorter than the pre-production pair I tested, so this whole lace issue should be moot.]

If I were buying SKORA shoes for myself, I’d definitely choose the FORM over the BASE, because from the standpoints of fit, durability and comfort, the difference is quite significant. Of course, the upgrades come at a price, which brings us to the big question: are SKORA shoes worth 200 dollars?

From a performance standpoint, it would be hard to recommend the FORM over other high quality zero-drop shoes currently on the market; while it’s a great all-purpose running shoe, it’s probably not 85 dollars better then Merrell’s Road Glove or Altra’s Instinct. However, there is a certain luxury feel to the soft leather FORM that you don’t really have with a standard running shoe upper.

In that regard, it comes down to the same decision-making process you go through to justify purchasing a luxury car over a reliable Toyota or Honda: your overall mileage will probably end up the same, but some folks are willing to pay a little more to enjoy those miles in style.

SKORA’s FORM retails for $195, and the SKORA BASE retails for $125, both from the company website.

*Products provided by SKORA
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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