tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18807768358321517292024-03-14T00:55:54.865-07:00God made me for a purpose...and when I run I feel his pleasure.
-Eric Liddell, Chariots of Fire.
Musings of a family that sometimes run togetherNeilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-20266201542907766322012-10-29T01:29:00.000-07:002013-03-31T23:18:35.422-07:00St George Success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7ayWtsoDb-k/UJdJxnAH46I/AAAAAAAAAjo/PKMV-FD55v0/s1600/scenic+cross+country.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7ayWtsoDb-k/UJdJxnAH46I/AAAAAAAAAjo/PKMV-FD55v0/s320/scenic+cross+country.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>Erik</strong> has been doing well at cross country meets. He has a loyalty to his team-mates and really cares how the team does, especially since they won several meets. So we waited to leave for St George until after his meet- the trade off for that was that we didn't have time to stop at Kim's. <strong>Emily </strong>skipped some classes to join us, then did all of the driving from Reno to St. George.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxNnnItTqfk/UI4v5HW694I/AAAAAAAAAh4/5--8UefxamU/s1600/packet+pickup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gxNnnItTqfk/UI4v5HW694I/AAAAAAAAAh4/5--8UefxamU/s320/packet+pickup.jpg" width="320" /></a>In addition to spending time together and running the fastest course I know, this trip was an excuse to see Pam's distant dad. We had a nice visit with <strong>Ron</strong> and <strong>Dianne</strong> then took him out to dinner at Olive Garden. Ron has lately had a rough go of it with multiple foot surgeries in the years since his accident. He may be able to get back to work in a month at Wal-mart. He was a good sport going with to packet pick-up where we met <strong>Esther </strong>who had managed just-in-time to get a ride down on her own. I thought it was important for the kids to know who Ron is, and he and Dianna seemed to really enjoy it. <br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoIDO61AUus/UI4v3Ma45lI/AAAAAAAAAhw/lhk1LY6QVxw/s1600/bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoIDO61AUus/UI4v3Ma45lI/AAAAAAAAAhw/lhk1LY6QVxw/s200/bus.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDl60gXyoQM/UI4v1PJ40-I/AAAAAAAAAho/BlPJ9vmK64o/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDl60gXyoQM/UI4v1PJ40-I/AAAAAAAAAho/BlPJ9vmK64o/s320/start.jpg" width="320" /></a>Pam used her clever web surfing skills to find a room at a local hotel close to the 5:30am bus to the start. They have bon-fires going in the dark near the start, but we didn't have time to enjoy them due to being stuck in a port-a-potty line that morphed into the starting throng. The weather was just warm enough at the start and not too hot until later in the day. There was even a strong tail wind! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ge8bThO3_6I/UI46igKEs-I/AAAAAAAAAjI/UZzm6tspYbg/s1600/emily+st+george.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ge8bThO3_6I/UI46igKEs-I/AAAAAAAAAjI/UZzm6tspYbg/s320/emily+st+george.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QB82iHIQRZ4/UI46nHoW37I/AAAAAAAAAjY/7xo9qpEUtwI/s1600/smiling+esther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QB82iHIQRZ4/UI46nHoW37I/AAAAAAAAAjY/7xo9qpEUtwI/s320/smiling+esther.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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There is up-hill off and on from mile 7 to 10, and a couple of other rises, but overall there is about 2500' elevation drop. Esther and Emily stayed together for the first few miles. In spite of not many long runs, Emily had a strong second half and finished with a Boston qualifying time. Esther had a solid performance, but it was a little off her PR. Pam followed a full training plan leading up to this, and her worries about making the cut-off turned out to be needless. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBLJu6iHUHo/UI43qBbkxqI/AAAAAAAAAi4/0MR6ck7Rcdo/s1600/Zach+and+Neil+st+george.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBLJu6iHUHo/UI43qBbkxqI/AAAAAAAAAi4/0MR6ck7Rcdo/s320/Zach+and+Neil+st+george.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I knew from my workouts with the cross-country team and on my own that my longstanding goal of going under 2:40 was possible. I kept telling myself to take it easy for the first 16 miles, as I was a little ahead of my goal pace. I started ramping up the effort as I gained confidence that I wasn't going to bonk. Every mile I would recalculate how much I had left in my legs, and what my finish time might be. It was boost to see Zachary at mile 23. He needed a workout as well, so he ran 2.5 miles with me. I averaged ~5:35 per mile for the last 10 miles, which is faster than my flat 10 mile PR. My 2nd half was over 4 minutes faster than my first. I ended up <a href="http://www.runpix.info/arace7/00/finord_one.php?id=33&ev=stg12&dt=42">2:31:40 in 13th place</a>, got a custom clock and $150 for the age-group win which will cover half of the gas but not the entry fees. They told me at the awards ceremony that might be the age group record, which I wanted to believe, but was way off. As early as<a href="http://www.stgeorgemarathon.com/race/records.php"> 1982 a guy ran 5 minutes faster</a>. They report an age-graded score for your performance and by that I had the <a href="http://resultsarchive.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?posted_p=t&sort=convert(p_age_grade)&rsID=135023&eventClass=Marathon&queryType=division&page=1&numPerPage=25">7th best out of ~5700</a>. One of the guys 8+ minutes ahead of me turns 45 next year. Pam said "then you'll just have to go faster." Some dude in a hand-cycle finished in under 57 minutes.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-90ebwxAdIAE/UI4v9FbBZvI/AAAAAAAAAiA/ZX4scL7M__w/s1600/st+george+12+finish+good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-90ebwxAdIAE/UI4v9FbBZvI/AAAAAAAAAiA/ZX4scL7M__w/s320/st+george+12+finish+good.jpg" width="320" /></a>That is likely the fastest I'll ever travel that distance, but I smile at how fast it is every time I think about it, which is frequently. Ken joked I could qualify for the trials, so I looked up the standard- another 12 minutes faster on a course with &lt; 1/6th this elevation drop. Emily finished at 3:33:05 on her first attempt, which may have made Esther a little jealous. Esther ran 3:50:14. But at the finish she and Zachary were more excited to hear about the new age change for missions. Which made Emily significantly jealous. Pam was another success, exceeded expectations in a respectable 5:21:17. Her feet and one knee were killing her, and she was worn out, but I think she ended up being the least muscle sore of any of us. <br />
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Esther showed off her Utah driving skills and we made it to priesthood. We had tickets for Zachary and Erik to attend in person in the conference center, while I went to the tabernacle, which was great. We invaded Carl's, and enjoyed our short time with him. Sunday most of us got back in the conference center for the morning session. We saw our bishop in the parking lot, and got Esther back on her way to Provo while we motored home so I could work Monday.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVVB-uioZHo/UI4waXnr3WI/AAAAAAAAAig/iIuMU7QxMUU/s1600/deer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVVB-uioZHo/UI4waXnr3WI/AAAAAAAAAig/iIuMU7QxMUU/s1600/deer.jpg" /></a>It was great to have us all together conquering challenges and absorbing conference. We did have some car trouble when a suicidal fawn outside Reno broke the glass in a headlamp. The hood and radiator were dented but not broken. <br />
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Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-89004610820020434882012-05-21T01:00:00.000-07:002012-05-21T01:08:42.695-07:00Mac Hopes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />I hope I'll age gracefully. I know it's inevitible, but I don't think about it much, perhaps beacuse I'm in denial. This was my 8th running of the Mac Forest 50k. 8 minutes faster than last year, but it was the farthest back I've ever placed at 6th. <br />
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This is one of the few races I focus on each year, thinking of it as my home-course. No one has ever won the over-all twice. The age group record is fast, but not as fast as I ran it at age 39. <br />
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I pushed harder than I hoped to early on to try and keep the leader in sight. There are stretches that often are rough- I often languish somewhat in "the maze" around the half way point and got caught by the guy who ended up 2nd. There are stretches that usually are good- I don't hardly hurt the first 10 miles, the long steady uphill to Dimple has been good to me (I caught back that same guy there), and I pulled into the lead coming down Dan's trail through mile 20.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOILYPc2zfA/T7n1SJNs64I/AAAAAAAAAfc/YmbF-36cVvI/s1600/across+the+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOILYPc2zfA/T7n1SJNs64I/AAAAAAAAAfc/YmbF-36cVvI/s320/across+the+bridge.JPG" width="320" /></a> I had this hope of hitting the Chip Ross aid station in first for my daughters, even if I wasn't going to be able to hold it. Turns out I couldn't even hold the lead as soon as the trail turned uphill on the back side of Chip Ross. So I adjusted my goals to limiting the number of guys that passed me. Andrew, then Lewis and Dan are all nice guys that I see frequently as these events, but I hate seeing them pull away. There are stretches that have been good some years and bad others. <br />
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I have this recurring hope that I'll feel strong through it, because that has happened before, even though statistically that's unlikely, especially since I was pushing earlier. Heading up the horse trails was worse than usual. The section from the gates to the high-point on vinyard mountain has been very long and horrible some years, and felt short and really great others. At least I didn't vomit this year. <br />
It was fun seeing Pam and my girls on the course and at the finish. They made daisy leis for me. This left me motivated to train hard and push harder next year... after I take some time off.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRYlEIAu93U/T7n1G3Sr0MI/AAAAAAAAAfE/ndMdc1nu2po/s1600/Parr+May+2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRYlEIAu93U/T7n1G3Sr0MI/AAAAAAAAAfE/ndMdc1nu2po/s320/Parr+May+2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-90598189236396197082012-04-02T00:29:00.003-07:002012-04-04T22:55:10.769-07:00thoughts on runnig free: Micah True<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffaTKragLhI/T3lSAavU7PI/AAAAAAAAAa0/xo1dfUuMUzU/s1600/caballo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffaTKragLhI/T3lSAavU7PI/AAAAAAAAAa0/xo1dfUuMUzU/s1600/caballo.jpg" /></a></div><div>I've been thinking about Micah True (aka Caballo Blanco) who's body was found yesterday, 4 days after heading out for a 12 mile run in the Gila wilderness in New Mexico. My sister, Brenda, has been following this as well, and I think she has been weighing the implications for those she loves that run, like me. Well, probably more because of her son Berkeley. </div><div></div><div>Caballo spent much of the last 20 years in Copper Canyon, which is a very inaccessible part of Mexico. He apparently ran 25 miles a day--long, remote runs were his staple. I think the concept of being trackable or carrying anything more than some pinole to eat would have been anathema to him. Freedom consisted of him running in shorts, and a pair of sandals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXoK0FfjQr0/T3lSElnd32I/AAAAAAAAAa8/yJcEzufynkk/s1600/copper+canyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fXoK0FfjQr0/T3lSElnd32I/AAAAAAAAAa8/yJcEzufynkk/s320/copper+canyon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div>I think running was such a part of him and the tarahumara culture he worshiped, that if you told him he was going to die running he would have been happy with that and kept up his usual schedule.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Jim Fixx didn't start running until age 35 when he was 240 lbs and smoked 2 packs a day. His father died of a heart attack at age 43. Running probably deserves credit for him making it to 52 before having his fatal heart attack. Micah, I think, was also on a course of self destruction. It's vague in Born To Run and I don't remember the details but after his boxing days it seems like he had some self loathing and there was alcohol involved. The tarahumara lifestyle gave him a much more full and peaceful existence. </div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2oJV_G-LKic/T3lSH2QAAMI/AAAAAAAAAbE/OPUePd6JHmM/s1600/urique+marathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2oJV_G-LKic/T3lSH2QAAMI/AAAAAAAAAbE/OPUePd6JHmM/s320/urique+marathon.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div>There are lots of great people that fulfill the measure of their creation without running a step. And I wish to define myself as more than a runner. But it has added to my life. I love the beauty of trails through hills. It's a thrill to get to an isolated high-spot, or to find a new route that makes a loop deep into the previously unexplored woods. It's a challenge not to exceed one's limits because it is invigorating to probe where your limits may extend. One of my most memorable runs was a 15+ mile loop high in the Trinity Alps on trails I'd never seen before with fabulous views. The closest humans were the scouts back in camp. I had to concentrate on my surroundings and the map and make some good guesses to put it all together. My most harrowing was when I ran out of reserve in the hills above Raymond WA where I got lost in the dark and rain on logging roads. If I had found a dry pile of leaves I would have laid down and gone to sleep. </div><div></div><div></div><div>I think it's a low percentage of runners that die from something happening to them while out on a remote wilderness run, compared to the number of non-runners that have a lifestyle-related "natural death". Part of our mis-assessment of risk is based on highly publicised rare events. You never get headlines like "Overweight Smoking Non-runner Non-surprisingly Dies of Heart Attack Watching TV", but that's where the real risk is. That and the missed opportunities of living too bland a life. I've got a newspaper article on my wall at work that claims the most dangerous thing you can do to your child is put them in a car and drive them to football practice. </div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bLI-LOEYaPU/T3lUBcAe0hI/AAAAAAAAAbU/NKGe9DdXK6A/s1600/timber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bLI-LOEYaPU/T3lUBcAe0hI/AAAAAAAAAbU/NKGe9DdXK6A/s640/timber.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>That's not to say that runners shouldn't be wary. Apparently Caballo would give this warning before a race:"we don't want any deaths on the trails. Yes, The buzzards want that....We do not." But Berkeley and I are unlikely to be buzzard food. Wear bright clothing, face traffic, and be careful crossing roads. Tell someone where you are going, and when to start worrying. Take a little more fuel and water than you'll need and a friend. Study a map and take one with you, know your boundary features, turn around before you have to, maybe hug a tree. A GPS watch is wonderful for orienting yourself when it has a battery charge, a view of the sky, and you know how to use it. (Berkeley should get a Forerunner 205, unless you have cash to burn, in which case the 910 looks sick! My next one will be a 310.) Unfortunately, because of that, you are more likely to accept greater risks. A cell phone with GPS is even better as long as you have coverage. Search and Rescue can ping it for coordinates. But you would have to carry that, which changes the freedom. Copper and Gila canyons would not have cell coverage. Also on the market are units that can put out a beacon picked up by satellite, same as a plane that crashes. Those are independent of cell towers, but weight, cost, and my possibly self-deceived low perception of utility have precluded consideration of that. If I break a leg when up Timber Mountain, cougars may get a meal, but I haven't seen buzzards. </div><div></div><div></div><div>Danelle Ballengee has a very different story: <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-238-511--14158-0,00.html">http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-238-511--14158-0,00.html</a> She fell off a trail near Moab and survived >2 very cold days with a broken pelvis living off puddle water. If she had a phone with her (and coverage) or a friend, she would have avoided a lot of suffering. </div><div></div><div><br />
I enjoy running with family and other pleasant people. But like Danelle, it isn't practical to find a friend with the same fitness level and schedule. And runners tend to be loners, or introverts. I thought of that with Zachary (and Gid) yesterday, whom I drug out for 6 miles. About the only conversation we had was an argument about ways to get to Tolo. But it was great being with them. It was wonderful to be able to take Emily last week on my new solitary route around the headwaters of Jackson Creek. And next month I'll have Esther as a training partner. Katie wouldn't be worth spit if I got injured. Although she's not useless- I think of her as distracting cougar bait. </div><div><br />
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I worry about the inconvenience to and sacrifice of search and rescue teams in situations like this. I wouldn't take their service for granted, and really appreciate them. Heaven forbid I ever need them, I'll hope they know right where to look and I'll trust they'll find me in time. But if I'm dead, and I think Caballo would have agreed, I'll regret they missed any sleep on my account. <br />
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My choice is to run free or die. And don't die. Cabello lived large, and I doubt he begrudges his fate. Berkeley has much more to his life than running. He has a better sense of self preservation and will always make it home.</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-80276964765614785082012-03-19T15:50:00.000-07:002012-03-19T15:50:55.852-07:00Excerpts From My Running DiaryThe second week into the winter school term Benton County experienced <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2012/01/oregon_red_cross_assesses_dama.html">serious flooding</a>. Bridges closed, schools shut down, and Oregon State (which had taken two half days and a national holiday already) took a flood day.<br />
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With out school and nothing to study I met up with one of my high schoolers and went for a run. We decided to head downtown to check out the flooding. We had to take a few detours because the bike trails were flooded. J and I went back later to grab photos of what we had run through. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gwLGsbl6TIQ/T2eyuth0EKI/AAAAAAAAAK4/laFjnc6W8rM/s1600/IMG_0858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gwLGsbl6TIQ/T2eyuth0EKI/AAAAAAAAAK4/laFjnc6W8rM/s320/IMG_0858.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By Pioneer Park, this extends to the picture below: </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b3lV3QWNPcM/T2eyvTOBiHI/AAAAAAAAALA/-t6kGqcSjNo/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b3lV3QWNPcM/T2eyvTOBiHI/AAAAAAAAALA/-t6kGqcSjNo/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Under the high way 99 bridge </div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago the high school showed me a new run. You start in Peavy Arboretum and follow the dirt road up, and up, and up until you get to Saddle. From Saddle you head over to Chip Ross by Dan's Trail. Once in Chip Ross you make your way around to 29th and then it's two miles of road back to the High School. It's a hard but beautiful run. The only down side (aside from the +6miles of uphill) is getting someone to drop you off. </div>EOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05029147614074229046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-88145230635594876212011-11-07T08:30:00.000-08:002014-03-13T21:42:52.833-07:00Lithia Loop in the cold <br />
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I was <a href="http://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=12899">2nd masters, 8th overall</a> yesterday at <a href="http://roguevalleyrunners.blogspot.com/2011/11/results-and-few-pics-are-up.html">Lithia Loop</a>, which was the <a href="http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USAMarathonTrailChampionships/">USATF trail marathon championship</a>. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start- I'm 3rd from the right</td></tr>
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My time was 2:55:43, which was almost 4 minutes faster than last year when my training was limited by recovering from the Pine to Palm. My training this year didn't seem on track when I stuggled through a long run a month ago. But between that, some good speed work with the cross-country team, and some practice running fast down John's Peak everything came together well.</div>
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I had a couple of women breathing down my neck for miles until they passed me towards the end of the initial 8 mile uphill. I passed them back on the relatively flat middle section. I really blazed the last few miles. I passed one guy as he fell (not my fault, really!) I passed another guy a mile from the finish but my 5:27 per mile pace on the down-hill stretch to the finish wasn't fast enough to hold him off and he passed me back and finished 23 seconds ahead of me. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric Skaggs (4th) and Tribbia (3rd) at a tropical aid station a few minutes before I got there.</td></tr>
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There was snow falling and an inch or 2 on the ground at the higher elevations. The footing was a little icy over some old tire tracks. The worse part was the wind. But I think snow is much better than near-freezing rain. I didn't sweat much at all, which made managing fluids much easier. I found warming the gel-packs in my gloves helped soften them to make them easier to squeeze. </div>
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Tim Olson and I passed each other a couple of times, and I saw Emily's "brother" Jeff working an aid station, so the Olse/on's were well represented.</div>
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<a href="http://lds.org/study/topics/fasting-and-fast-offerings?lang=eng&query=fast+sunday">Fast Sundays</a> are more of a challenge the day after a long run- I crave calories more than usual, and not eating seems to make me more sore. But all pain is temporarly, and in this case has plenty of purpose. And I'll be more than ready for a good run long before the <a href="http://www.footzonebend.com/events/I%20Like%20Pie">Thanksgiving Run! </a></div>
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Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com5Jackson, Oregon, USA42.117070872761474 -122.7350524837646641.619939372761472 -123.20994898376466 42.614202372761476 -122.26015598376466tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-22676142486501036982011-08-20T12:04:00.000-07:002011-08-20T12:06:39.448-07:00Cascade Lakes Relay 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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This year for our Daddy-Daughter bonding time we decided to do a Relay race.Cascade Lakes Relay goes from Diamond Lake to Bend. Here is some of our experiences:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bug spray is a desirable commodity before getting in line for the port-a-potty. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each team consists of two vans with six people each. We were van 1 (for obvious reasons). </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad was nearly DQ'd for almost fumbling the baton!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vest? check. Tunes? check. Headlamp? check. Smile? Not this early in the morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Esther suffering with a smile. Dad suffering with a limp.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Hermes- you can almost see the wings! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van 1, Argggh!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minus 1 Star for every hour we had to wait at that restaurant. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VMZyjk1F4OQ/TkDV-d9zmHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/fJwHau61MDg/s1600/286972_10150268985512550_655047549_7823000_5098163_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VMZyjk1F4OQ/TkDV-d9zmHI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/fJwHau61MDg/s320/286972_10150268985512550_655047549_7823000_5098163_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the people that make the meal. Especially for cannibals.<br />
<br />
Sleep gained: None<br />
Views: Beautiful<br />
Food: Not good the second time<br />
People: Awesome!<br />
Overall: Good experience. <br />
<br />
Doing it again next year? Maybe.. not. Mt Jefferson = most definitely. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ulm0jCOoTZk/TlAEShygEiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/ZY0e1diCto0/s1600/Jefferson-Pinnacle_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ulm0jCOoTZk/TlAEShygEiI/AAAAAAAAAA0/ZY0e1diCto0/s200/Jefferson-Pinnacle_thumb.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-77777700235291681012011-05-15T20:40:00.000-07:002011-05-24T22:46:29.453-07:00Max King is my 14% faster twin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0oT5foRbn0/TdCVm6iQ6BI/AAAAAAAAAWA/vpy7n-1zYRE/s1600/max+in+shades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0oT5foRbn0/TdCVm6iQ6BI/AAAAAAAAAWA/vpy7n-1zYRE/s320/max+in+shades.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max. With shades.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TP6ii6_3xc/TdCaxr1rMpI/AAAAAAAAAWM/JIQvk7BvuoI/s1600/jackson+creek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TP6ii6_3xc/TdCaxr1rMpI/AAAAAAAAAWM/JIQvk7BvuoI/s320/jackson+creek.JPG" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson Creek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>How often do chemical engineers finish 1st and 2nd in a race? I mused on whether this was just a coincidence during yesterday's McDonald Forest 50 k.<br />
<br />
Running sometimes brings clarity to the mind. By the final aide station I reached a state where "lemon-aide" was the closest I could come up with when asking for "7-up". About this point, I realized that with all the ways our lives overlap that Max King and I must be twins.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>I sometimes try to keep up with high school kids for workouts on the Crater High School track. He used to win races on that track. </li>
<li>I got a degree from a state school in Chemical Engineering then eventually moved to Central Point. Max moved away from Central Point and got a degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell.</li>
<li>we both were at the Olympic trials in Eugene--I was able to watch a little of it on the video screen west of the stadium, he ran the steeple chase.</li>
<li>I've won several local ultras. He's set course records at most of the local ultras.</li>
<li>I've got a pair of Rogue Racer shoes. He helped design those shoes</li>
</ul><br />
I anticipated Max King would go after the course record (which he achieved by about 50 seconds). I'd like to think I did my part in helping him achieve this by pushing him along. After all, I was breathing down his neck-- from only about 35 minutes back. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KGPd6TFM-lc/TdCVmUvWN_I/AAAAAAAAAV8/o-UDxXLYRxs/s1600/start.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KGPd6TFM-lc/TdCVmUvWN_I/AAAAAAAAAV8/o-UDxXLYRxs/s200/start.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm at the back of this pack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Providing a sample for the an OSU school of pharmacy study on hyponatremia distracted me, so I missed the start. I caught up enough that I could see Max, but then realized I'd left my water bottle at the med tent. I was unsuccessful in convincing a spectator on a bike to go get it for me, so at the 2 mile point I had my last glimpse of Max when I turned off the course for a 1/3 mile detour back to the start to get my bottle.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UUq9V1GuKg/TdCVn7yff5I/AAAAAAAAAWI/SmTAIBlhIew/s1600/start+for+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UUq9V1GuKg/TdCVn7yff5I/AAAAAAAAAWI/SmTAIBlhIew/s320/start+for+me.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm the last guy on the right just crossing the start line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84wBxab9LCE/TdCayidKrgI/AAAAAAAAAWU/mbuIWQI3K9o/s1600/the+maze.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84wBxab9LCE/TdCayidKrgI/AAAAAAAAAWU/mbuIWQI3K9o/s320/the+maze.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in the maze</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The weather was perfect. I felt fine until the last hour, then was glad the guy in 2nd that I'd been chasing for the previous 4 miles let me by at the Chip Ross aid station. I just tried to stay ahead of him and budget the suffering after that. Perhaps I've been pushing too hard in training with my daughter Esther, or my pacing at the start was too irregular, but I thought going 15 minutes slower than last year should have hurt a lot less this year especially since I thought I was in better shape going in. I was 14% slower than Max at the Pear Blossom 10 mile this year, and if you give me 3 minutes credit for the water bottle was only 13.6% slower this year, so I'm pretty happy with that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRFhmg4fxxU/TdCayNcxs5I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/h5ZknH689Hg/s1600/wedding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zRFhmg4fxxU/TdCayNcxs5I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/h5ZknH689Hg/s320/wedding.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wedding on Dimple at mile 18.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next up is the Newport Marathon with Esther June 4th. Max isn't signed up for that. 14% more than his PR would be about 5 minutes faster than my goal.<br />
<br />
<br />
GT article: <a href="http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/community/article_b89590c0-7eb4-11e0-b482-001cc4c03286.html">http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/community/article_b89590c0-7eb4-11e0-b482-001cc4c03286.html</a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-35402399722543572092011-02-20T23:41:00.000-08:002011-02-20T23:41:14.004-08:00Hagg Mud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kN7khDFFUM0/TWIUgfOxhGI/AAAAAAAAAVY/J502_KCppDw/s1600/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kN7khDFFUM0/TWIUgfOxhGI/AAAAAAAAAVY/J502_KCppDw/s200/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+001.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I had imagined worse weather for this past weekend.<br />
<br />
<br />
If it was a few degrees cooler the mud might have stayed frozen. As it was, it was just cold enough to cause black-ice--we had to take a deture to get to Hagg Lake because a tow truck was blocking the road pulling a truck from the ditch. I drove much slower after that.<br />
<br />
Rain earlier in the week made for very muddy sections over much of the course for the Hagg Lake 50k race. I think the footing was as bad as it was in 2007, but at least we enjoyed sunshine rather than driving rain. I made the regretable choice to go with shoes that were lighter but had less traction. Perhaps spikes would have been better. One runner appeared to have golf shoes on.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWWMP_tiI18/TWIUsKRDRQI/AAAAAAAAAVc/zwTp0C13AP4/s1600/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vWWMP_tiI18/TWIUsKRDRQI/AAAAAAAAAVc/zwTp0C13AP4/s320/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">near the finish<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aUNn3TfykyU/TWIVLNIqCCI/AAAAAAAAAVk/X3XqaQU7AtI/s1600/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aUNn3TfykyU/TWIVLNIqCCI/AAAAAAAAAVk/X3XqaQU7AtI/s320/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 good falls and some black-berry bushes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I had set goals based on what I was able to do in 2008 when the course was almost dry, which turned out to be overly optomistic. I averaged 7 minutes per mile for the first 17 miles, but then could only manage 8:30 for the last 14, giving me a time just over 4:00. That was just enough for 4th place. I think the competition is getting better, because 4:09 was enough to win it in 2007. I got some of the mud off in the lake, and the rest in the shower at the Lakes.</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veilm_bD4RU/TWIVIAwsutI/AAAAAAAAAVg/Yz2Jt3fjsEM/s1600/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-veilm_bD4RU/TWIVIAwsutI/AAAAAAAAAVg/Yz2Jt3fjsEM/s320/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+003.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">done with that</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Emily took a break from helping my father-in-law and met me for the finish. It is always fun to see her. She declined to do a mud run- something about it not fitting her running plans for the day. I had as good visit with Eldon before heading home.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Erik came with, but he slept the whole way in the car. Fortunately my good friend and long-time competitor back to our high-school days, David Jordan, came with. Talking with him made the drive fly by, and gave me food for thought. It was his first ultra, and he had a good experience in spite of the trail conditions. We made the whole trip in 28 hours. I'll be sore for the next few days.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycFATYVEths/TWIVOV2Of4I/AAAAAAAAAVo/YRMac1GxrL8/s1600/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycFATYVEths/TWIVOV2Of4I/AAAAAAAAAVo/YRMac1GxrL8/s320/Hagg+Lake+50k+2011+006.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">did I mention it was muddy?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-22299943570399223332011-01-05T00:13:00.000-08:002011-01-05T00:17:08.197-08:00not quite fit to printThis was in the paper:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TSQnmI2I1AI/AAAAAAAAAVA/uaBINvYVYqQ/s1600/smoking+with+a+clipboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TSQnmI2I1AI/AAAAAAAAAVA/uaBINvYVYqQ/s400/smoking+with+a+clipboard.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div>I found 2 errors in this. Can you find them?<br />
<br />
So I wrote this to the editor about smokin' PR's</div><div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Thanks for "running" a running-related item on the front of the January 2nd Your Life section of the paper. This Norwegian isn't the first to publish predictions for a marathon time based on 5k times, and such predictions have limitations (well outlined in the book "The Lore of Running.") But they are fun to think about. Hopefully they will motivate people to set goals and improve their fitness level. The charts and graphics are stylish but they have a horrible subliminal antithetical flaw. The adult male scientist with the clip-board and white coat has vapor rising not from the perspiration of good work-out, but smoke from the TOBACCO PIPE in his mouth! As a physician, I see daily the negative effects of smoking, and I ask the good editors to be vigilant for smoking messages sneaking into the media. This same graphic appeared in the Mail Tribune last fall. It has no place in a health related piece, except perhaps for satire. Best wishes for good health and running smoke free in 2011. Parenthetically, there is a math or typographic error for runner 1-- their half marathon time should be about 1:14:59. </div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Neil M Olsen, MD</div></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-12252893773609179102010-11-24T19:56:00.000-08:002010-12-16T21:59:41.218-08:00Bring on the AnesthesiaThis last Tuesday I underwent my third surgery. Being only 20 I find this as a big accomplishment; and a sign that I probably need to find a better sport. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2Fbk7ATI/AAAAAAAAADA/5-a-FomW4dQ/s1600/IMG_0753.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2Fbk7ATI/AAAAAAAAADA/5-a-FomW4dQ/s320/IMG_0753.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551520063849955634" /></a><br /><br />My story begins on the 24th of September. It was a Friday evening. My coach had flown the top nine girls to Minnesota to race in the Roy Griak Invitational on the 25th. We had just gone on a run at the race course and were back at our hotel to get ready for dinner. Feeling rushed to get ready I had been bending over my bag looking for clothes. I stood up quickly, kind of at an angle, with all my weight on my right leg. It gave way. <br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr1us9DdhI/AAAAAAAAACw/750yLotIhdg/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr1us9DdhI/AAAAAAAAACw/750yLotIhdg/s320/IMG_0755.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551519673377584658" /></a><br /><br />The rest of the evening I could not put weight on it. By morning it had swollen considerably. After going for a light jog and feeling no pain it was decided that I would race. That was the worst race of my life. With every step a sharp pain would shoot up my leg. I collapsed over the finish line and a teammate half carried me to the first aid tent. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr16MSPHYI/AAAAAAAAAC4/-rcqdk9tvmE/s1600/IMG_0754.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr16MSPHYI/AAAAAAAAAC4/-rcqdk9tvmE/s320/IMG_0754.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551519870766488962" /></a><br /><br />The next week I took a few days off. The main goal was to get the swelling in my leg down. After a while I was in good enough shape to race again. On October 16th I raced at the Dillinger Invitational. I did not have any pain, but my time was not good either. The next weekend I raced at the Beaver Classic. The next day I could not walk. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2ch359pI/AAAAAAAAADI/o010p-yydfA/s1600/mom%2527s%2Bcamera%2B049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2ch359pI/AAAAAAAAADI/o010p-yydfA/s320/mom%2527s%2Bcamera%2B049.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551520460677183122" /></a><br /><br />My coach and trainer decided it was time I took two weeks off. So I did. During this time period I also started exercises that were designed to help strengthen my knee. By the end of the two weeks we had moved into November and my knee was still hurting. My trainer had me start cross-training with some light running and scheduled an appointment with the team doctor. Dr. Wobig, a knee specialist (just my luck), ordered an MRI and gave me some anti-inflammatories. By the 17th the results were back with what could be a possible intrasubstance tear on my right medial meniscus, it was advised that I undergo an arthroscopy. If there was no tear I would have to take two weeks off, if there was I would have 6-8 weeks in crutches. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2sr6lv8I/AAAAAAAAADQ/VMufzNBOtnM/s1600/mom%2527s%2Bcamera%2B046.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr2sr6lv8I/AAAAAAAAADQ/VMufzNBOtnM/s320/mom%2527s%2Bcamera%2B046.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551520738250702786" /></a><br /><br />Fortunately I don't mind using crutches. =) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr39cRMBnI/AAAAAAAAADY/xn3v-X9aMDw/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/TQr39cRMBnI/AAAAAAAAADY/xn3v-X9aMDw/s320/002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551522125619922546" /></a><br /><br />Thanks Mom for chauffeuring me around and thanks G-ma and pa for watching GideonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-36507543210418638222010-09-27T23:54:00.000-07:002010-09-27T23:59:41.994-07:00Pine 2 Palm<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPfbJ6vII/AAAAAAAAAUo/UrLdA5MPGKw/s1600/lower+obrien+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPfbJ6vII/AAAAAAAAAUo/UrLdA5MPGKw/s320/lower+obrien+p2p+2010.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pam dropped me off in the little town of Williams on a Saturday before sunlight. 22 1/2 hrs later she picked me up in Ashland long after dark.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPKG2oDfI/AAAAAAAAAUU/I-VI1QZVZoQ/s1600/obrien+leaving+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPKG2oDfI/AAAAAAAAAUU/I-VI1QZVZoQ/s320/obrien+leaving+p2p+2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGSTNeQvuI/AAAAAAAAAUw/CtUEZBxbNqI/s1600/sq+lk+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGSTNeQvuI/AAAAAAAAAUw/CtUEZBxbNqI/s320/sq+lk+p2p+2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In between, I traveled 103 miles on trails, dirt roads, and a little pavement while climbing and descending a total of 20,000'. I felt great at the start, and didn't give up the lead until 10 miles. That was on the first of 3 long, remote, beautiful trails over 7,000' mountains that I had never before traveled. I made good time on a flat section of dirt road, averaging about 7:20 pace until I got back on trails and hills. The light rain and cool temperature was fine at low elevations while I was moving well. Later, when I wasn't moving so well and the wind was driving rain sideways it wasn't so fun. I borrowed a jacket from a friend, fleece pants from a stranger, a garbage bag from an aid station, and a hat and gloves that I had sent ahead in a drop-bag.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPQX_ZPRI/AAAAAAAAAUc/ZM6M8APlkM0/s1600/lewis+and+I+leaving+squaw+lakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPQX_ZPRI/AAAAAAAAAUc/ZM6M8APlkM0/s320/lewis+and+I+leaving+squaw+lakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPpj8ECOI/AAAAAAAAAUs/ConJfJK4IPA/s1600/squaw+pk+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPpj8ECOI/AAAAAAAAAUs/ConJfJK4IPA/s320/squaw+pk+p2p+2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPOPmU2aI/AAAAAAAAAUY/8WMDng4OOaQ/s1600/dave+and+I+contemplating+the+topography+ahead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPOPmU2aI/AAAAAAAAAUY/8WMDng4OOaQ/s320/dave+and+I+contemplating+the+topography+ahead.jpg" width="320" /></a>About mile 60, I started having a deep ache in my legs with each step. I had experienced this once before at my first Where's Waldo. It was torturous, but self induced, so I asked myself why I was doing it. I didn't have a good answer. But I was at least going to get to the next aid station, at mile 66. I spent 30 minutes there in a chair sipping chicken-noodle soup by the heater. I decided I was going to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">at least go to</span> the top of the peak since it was only another 1/2 mile. I felt better once I left, so I kept going. I knew my friend, David Jordan, was waiting for me at mile 83. The leg pain didn't come back until mile 81. I spent another 1/2 hour in a chair and again had relief. We walked about 7 miles to the top of the last peak, then jogged the steep down-hill, ran the dirt road, and limped in to the finish. I hadn't much cared earlier when they were passing me, but I worked hard to pass people back, and caught everyone that had passed me after mile 60 to finish 4th.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPYYStDWI/AAAAAAAAAUg/2Y49MmWPMco/s1600/wagner+gap+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPYYStDWI/AAAAAAAAAUg/2Y49MmWPMco/s400/wagner+gap+p2p+2010.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPbmXQrKI/AAAAAAAAAUk/C3nCZ-caEHk/s1600/seattle+bar+reloading+p2p+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TKGPbmXQrKI/AAAAAAAAAUk/C3nCZ-caEHk/s320/seattle+bar+reloading+p2p+2010.jpg" width="241" /></a></div></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This was my 2nd 100 mile finish. 100 milers cause a high level of physical and mental stress. If I ever do another, I need to train longer miles for it ahead of time. Which is another challenge- they take a huge amount of preparation.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My legs were very sore for 3 days. I was able to do 800m repeats with Esther on the 4th day, but then a couple of spots on my feet really hurt. I went for a bike ride Saturday, but haven't run again. Yet.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Next on the schedule is the Ashland loop trail marathon, but it's the same day as state xc.</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-67119961375690640012010-09-03T00:28:00.000-07:002010-09-03T00:33:26.696-07:00Hood 2 Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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Once a year 12,000 crazy people decorate their cars with double andantes, and run through the night from the parking lot at Timberline to the beach, largely on back roads. For a fee of $100+ each, the deal includes smelly bodies and car sickness in dusty stop-and-go traffic after 2 1/2 hrs of sleep in a field to get to a long port-a-potty line before dashing down the road again. It's a special kind of hurry-up and wait.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChIJ5l6II/AAAAAAAAATc/d3EUr1Q_-JQ/s1600/costumes" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChIJ5l6II/AAAAAAAAATc/d3EUr1Q_-JQ/s320/costumes" width="320" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChDPCQxzI/AAAAAAAAATM/7WPPWSP0BYo/s1600/before" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChDPCQxzI/AAAAAAAAATM/7WPPWSP0BYo/s400/before" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">team 821, van 2, "before"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>In my defense, I view it as a celebration of running, and is worthwhile if you have a fun team.</div><div>This year I got on a team with 3 cardiologist, several of their staff and family, and a couple of friends that I ran with last year. One of the guys, Ken, was former Air Force, served a mission to Korea, and works with the young men's organization in the other stake, so I really enjoyed talking with him.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Mike was on a team named ROUS (Runners of Unusual Stamina). They started before us, but I had hopes initially that our team would catch his and we would see each other. 24 legs into the race, in a field off a small country road miles from civilization, we pulled in to take our last long break. 2 vans down I noticed the ROUS rig, surrounded by sleeping people but I didn't recognize any of their faces as they were each covered to shade from the light. I found an empty patch of grass, and caught a little sleep, until the guy orthogonal to me straightened his legs and kicked me in the head. Sure enough, it was my favorite Andrus brother-in-law. His team was doing well, and we never did catch them, but it was great to see him if only for a moment. At that same transition, I was also greeted by friends Ammon and Ann Ebert from Medford. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChK4ZPu_I/AAAAAAAAATk/NndZPKiXrRc/s1600/in+a+hurry" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChK4ZPu_I/AAAAAAAAATk/NndZPKiXrRc/s320/in+a+hurry" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in a hurry. At least, I was.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>A nice part of being on a slow team is that the only pressure is what you put on yourself.</div><div>I had leg 8, which starts and ends with fairly flat 4+ mile legs, and has a middle leg that climbs almost 1000' total over 5+ miles. I beat my time estimates, especially on the climb. On my legs, I averaged 5:28/mile, 6:20/mile, and 5:41/mile. I still felt pretty good, so I joined a team mate for the 7 mile next-to-last leg.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChGFraOsI/AAAAAAAAATU/zoNMBQmhLeI/s1600/butt+fast" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/TIChGFraOsI/AAAAAAAAATU/zoNMBQmhLeI/s200/butt+fast" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our team leader</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We enjoyed good weather this year, and made it back to Forest Grove before dark to rendezvous with my wife. I jumped out of the team van at a stop light to hop into our Honda. She did a little geocaching on our way back to my sister-in-law Tracy's birthday party then arrived at the posh motel-Lake in McMinnville. It was after 10pm, and Esther hadn't run yet. She was dragging Zachary out with her, and not wanting to miss out on the fun, I donned my shoes yet again for 1 more leg. It's an admittedly strange way to have fun.</div></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-59198995363313160402010-05-27T00:04:00.000-07:002010-05-27T00:10:19.690-07:00Mac Forest 50k late report<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4auBkbx6I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/9RSf0jUGRUw/s1600/mac+forest+2010+early" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4auBkbx6I/AAAAAAAAAQ0/9RSf0jUGRUw/s200/mac+forest+2010+early" width="150" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4W2B6RKGI/AAAAAAAAAQU/o_jmIDMqTqM/s1600/mac+forest+2010+old+growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4W2B6RKGI/AAAAAAAAAQU/o_jmIDMqTqM/s200/mac+forest+2010+old+growth.jpg" width="133" /></a>It was a beautiful morning for a run May 8th in the hills North of Corvallis. I actually paid attention (briefly and early on in the race) to birds singing in the trees, wildflowers, great views, and thick forest. I shed my long-sleeve shirt after the first 30 min. There was some mud in the middle of the run, but not much. I wore light-weight Sacony Fastwich, which gave me adequate traction which was great, but they were a little thin as I felt the gravel through them later on. Maybe next year we'll get lucky and have more bone chilling drizzle and slop like a few years ago.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A bunch went out fast. I think I was in 13th at the top of the first big climb 30 minutes into the run. On part of the descent towards Soap Creek my GPS watch showed under 5:20 pace at one point, but Brian Morrison was still pulling away!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4WsPX4k6I/AAAAAAAAAQM/oiodxXzFMRk/s1600/mac+forest+2010+low+rider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4WsPX4k6I/AAAAAAAAAQM/oiodxXzFMRk/s200/mac+forest+2010+low+rider.jpg" width="133" /></a>Into the Starker property maze of trails, and on the downwards section of extendo there was plenty of company from the early starters. For the next 10 miles I picked off people as I could, while trying not to fry muslce fibers. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4afAZmk5I/AAAAAAAAAQs/AIC2ccFdKJg/s1600/mac+forest+2010+starker+crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4afAZmk5I/AAAAAAAAAQs/AIC2ccFdKJg/s320/mac+forest+2010+starker+crowd.jpg" width="213" /></a>Towards the end of the maze I caught Michael Lynes, who admitted he would have felt fresher if he hadn't just won the Tacoma Marathon the week before. I pulled up even with David Larsen on the long uphill to Dimple Hill and we passed the leader (who was brave but we could tell he was new to ultrarunning because he wasn't carying a water bottle). At the Dimple hill aid station I changed into the green Rouge Valley Runners singlet, to look fresh (and harder to spot in the woods).</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4Whwlo3gI/AAAAAAAAAP8/Q3xxR4BmVfI/s1600/mac+forest+2010+chip+ross" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_4Whwlo3gI/AAAAAAAAAP8/Q3xxR4BmVfI/s200/mac+forest+2010+chip+ross" width="133" /></a>David must have blazed through that aid station, as I had to bomber down the hill to catch and pass him. I got a minute or so on him by Chip Ross, but started having muscle cramps - first just when jumping a stream, later in spurts with every step.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3CnGGpkPI/AAAAAAAAAP0/1v5u23KDGL8/s1600/mac+finish+2010+with+mom+and+Ken" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3CnGGpkPI/AAAAAAAAAP0/1v5u23KDGL8/s320/mac+finish+2010+with+mom+and+Ken" /></a>So I was pretty nervous heading up the horse trail. That is where a couple of friends passed me last year. I was able to keep it under red-line, and finally hit the gravel road at the top. I came upon a cyclist, who jokingly said "go runner!" I didn't realize until was right up to him that it was Ken! I had cryptically indicated to him that I might be in town. He was out on a ride, bumped into extra traffic, figured out what was going on, and rode up the gravel road on his road bike high above the Lewisberg saddle to cheer me on.</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I adjusted my stride to avoid having cramping with each step. Later I got a cramp in my arm. Started me to thinking what other muscles were beating hard that might cause trouble if they cramped...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cg6Pg6HI/AAAAAAAAAPk/yZIgTzVWoAE/s1600/mac+finish+2010+with+Erik" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cg6Pg6HI/AAAAAAAAAPk/yZIgTzVWoAE/s320/mac+finish+2010+with+Erik" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cdl5ELbI/AAAAAAAAAPc/lw41D_TR3U4/s1600/mac+finish+2010" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cdl5ELbI/AAAAAAAAAPc/lw41D_TR3U4/s320/mac+finish+2010" /></a>That last long uphill doesn't look bad on paper, but it drags on forever. The down-hill was a relief in that it is a different kind of pain. Then it was just a matter of holding on until I heard the sound of my daughters 1/4 mile from the finish line.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've now placed 5th, 3rd, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 1st at this race. I have loved Chip Ross and dimple hill since running them from my back door in high school 25+ years ago. 4:13:51 was the slowest winning time in a few years, but 16 min faster than I did last year.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cj8fh5OI/AAAAAAAAAPs/Z6C0rhCmwBc/s1600/mac+finish+2010+with+kids" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S_3Cj8fh5OI/AAAAAAAAAPs/Z6C0rhCmwBc/s320/mac+finish+2010+with+kids" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was the first time in several attempts that my parents timed it right to be at the finish line at the same time as I was, which was great.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The following days I just had the standard can-only-go-down-stairs-one-at-a-time soreness. No lasting cramp damage.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cobject%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/AaYCVv3WO3k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowFullScreen%22%20value=%22true%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowscriptaccess%22%20value=%22always%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cembed%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/AaYCVv3WO3k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0%22%20type=%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20allowscriptaccess=%22always%22%20allowfullscreen=%22true%22%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22385%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AaYCVv3WO3k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AaYCVv3WO3k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-89689405265777783082010-04-13T10:04:00.000-07:002010-04-13T16:06:14.759-07:00"How many is that again?"25 laps, 6.2 miles, just over 38 minutes of pain. Bring a book if you want to come watch because it's the 10k.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8SlVvU-rKI/AAAAAAAAACI/yY7Ri7K-Uus/s1600/Knight_79.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8SlVvU-rKI/AAAAAAAAACI/yY7Ri7K-Uus/s320/Knight_79.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459670441180179618" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8T4uUEQelI/AAAAAAAAACY/n0oPwKwt1tI/s1600/Knight+85.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8T4uUEQelI/AAAAAAAAACY/n0oPwKwt1tI/s320/Knight+85.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459762122824120914" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8T4t9fHxiI/AAAAAAAAACQ/DLF8uAZqbHE/s1600/Knight+82.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FcqjNaCSHxk/S8T4t9fHxiI/AAAAAAAAACQ/DLF8uAZqbHE/s320/Knight+82.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459762116762781218" /></a><br /><br /><br />If you thought you knew what pain was before, think again, it just got redefined.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-78772481767908082322010-02-09T22:29:00.000-08:002010-02-10T18:55:44.372-08:00Clam Beach run<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3NxWK5ySRI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/u57XKnwbnlo/s1600-h/esther+clam+2010" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3NxWK5ySRI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/u57XKnwbnlo/s320/esther+clam+2010" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JQ_bdCikI/AAAAAAAAAO4/OGvFDepY5FE/s1600-h/clam+beach+2010+esther+and+damaris+lower+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JQ_bdCikI/AAAAAAAAAO4/OGvFDepY5FE/s320/clam+beach+2010+esther+and+damaris+lower+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Saturday we all piled into the car early, drove through the dark while the kids slept to Trinidad California.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Zachary, Esther and I then waited in the cold until we ran in the rain. I wore a garbage bag as a coat for the first 2 miles. We crossed a river then ran 2 miles on the beach to the finish.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Pam got in some geocaching until the car battery died. Joe and Todd got us jump started. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JRQn9L_UI/AAAAAAAAAPA/mwsJgv8Bulc/s1600-h/clam+beach+2010+zachary+lower+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JRQn9L_UI/AAAAAAAAAPA/mwsJgv8Bulc/s320/clam+beach+2010+zachary+lower+res.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We had ice cream near Selma and made it home after dark.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JR4Xw1UYI/AAAAAAAAAPI/EbV9WSdMvUo/s1600-h/clam+beach+2010+lower+res.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/S3JR4Xw1UYI/AAAAAAAAAPI/EbV9WSdMvUo/s320/clam+beach+2010+lower+res.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today Gideon and I did a 3 mile tempo with the team, then Zach joined us for a run in the Britt woods, which Esther and I have decided is our favorite place to run barefoot.</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-8256120621984781482009-09-22T23:08:00.000-07:002009-09-22T23:18:45.403-07:00Emily Olsen is Orange<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Profile</strong> <br />
</div><ul><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Srm7UNpfL6I/AAAAAAAAAN4/tQll1MhAusM/s1600-h/OSU+profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Srm7UNpfL6I/AAAAAAAAAN4/tQll1MhAusM/s320/OSU+profile.jpg" /></a>Class:Red Shirt Freshman</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hometown:Central Point OR</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">High School:Crater HS</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Height:5-5 in flats</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Speed:as fast as a leopard</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Position:crouched at starting line</li>
</ul><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">CRATER HIGH SCHOOL: Competed in cross country all four years of high school under coach Justin Loftus and swim for one season under coach Michael Heckert... was a member of the track team all four years under Loftus as well... earned six total letters among the three sports... in 2007-08 was named most improved in both cross country and in track... placed at state 5A track in the 1,500-meters and 3,000-meters.<br />
</div><div><br />
</div>PERSONAL: Majoring in biology... parents are Neil and Pamela... father is a family practitioner and Pamela is a full-time mother... siblings include Esther (16), Karna, Zachary (13), Erik (9) and Gideon (6)... father competed in cross country and track at OSU from 1985-1986... mother graduated from Oregon State... hobbies include cooking, playing piano, astronomy, protist taxonomy and CAR... former prep teammates currently competing at Division-I schools: Isaac Stoutenburgh (Oregon) and Jake Keyser (Colorado)... former prep teammates at NAIA D-II schools because Boise State's financial aid package wasn't what they promised: Zach Elliot... favorite athletes are Eric Liddell and Neil Olsen... biggest athletic thrill: outkicking Aria Hemphill for third at the 5A state championships in the 1,500-meters and downhill trail running on steeplechase or Three Sisters Wilderness in the dark... chose OSU because of the impressive science department and housing accommodations. Fell in love with the social life there.<br />
<br />
source: <a href="http://www.osubeavers.com/">http://www.osubeavers.com/</a> accessed 9/22/09, minor modifications by nmoNeilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-11723642466179427322009-09-02T08:51:00.000-07:002009-09-02T17:35:55.802-07:00Nunzilla attacks Hood to Coast<div></div><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp7Tkya30cI/AAAAAAAAANo/i-nlHJ85v7g/s1600-h/nunzilla+FRONT+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376967634090185154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 176px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp7Tkya30cI/AAAAAAAAANo/i-nlHJ85v7g/s200/nunzilla+FRONT+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a>Providence hospital put together 12 people crazy enough to endure 26 hours of running, sweating, car-sickness, sleep deprivation, light rain, traffic and dust. Nunzilla was our team <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp7Re3UOfCI/AAAAAAAAANg/htDgLoQ35U0/s1600-h/IMG_1676.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376965333302017058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp7Re3UOfCI/AAAAAAAAANg/htDgLoQ35U0/s200/IMG_1676.JPG" border="0" /></a>name. </p><p>Our fearless leader and hospital CEO organized the logistics with style far beyond what I've ever seen. We had showers and places to crash both in Portland and Seaside, pizza, and more Gatorade than I could drink.</p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp8PD-agHOI/AAAAAAAAANw/khR1zFWPHQQ/s1600-h/start+screeenshot.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377033041071840482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sp8PD-agHOI/AAAAAAAAANw/khR1zFWPHQQ/s200/start+screeenshot.JPG" border="0" /></a>I thought that I would have trouble even limping along since it only a week after Where's Waldo. So I was very pleasantly surprised to run about as well as 2 years ago when I was fresh. My first leg was downhill and I covered almost 4 miles in 20 minutes.<br /><br />We were a very disparate group, but gelled well, and had a great time cruising to a 10th place finish in our division. With over 14,000 high-spirited participants, I think of this event as a celebration of running and getting fit.<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxX9bkgLN23S1yOEA44ptqVbP9lo4f0UiHtaLMurFBc12fIUy-slKhEpvcgw6iaBVY44uxZ-m-uTTPFDIhFmw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-36793747004101898182009-08-25T00:15:00.000-07:002009-08-25T08:31:54.087-07:00Where's Waldo remix<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SpOer8u5yvI/AAAAAAAAANQ/gdf3qsren9I/s1600-h/2009+waldo+finish"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373813258257550066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SpOer8u5yvI/AAAAAAAAANQ/gdf3qsren9I/s200/2009+waldo+finish" border="0" /></a><br />Some things I want to remember about <a href="http://www.wpsp.org/ww100k/">Where's Waldo</a> for next year: <div><ul><li>8 wks is about long enough to recover from a prior long race.</li><li>Mountain climbing is probably good training. 30-40 miles a week is enough to get ready if it includes 17+ mile runs on weekends and some half mile repeats.</li><li>The pre-race meeting is at 7pm, but you can drop off bags for aid stations until 9pm.</li><li>Its polite to recognize and remember the names of the race directors as they do a great job (Kurt Ringstad had to remind me his name. Craig Thornley is harder to forget)</li><li>There's places to camp on the lake if your sister gets there early, but parking is limited. (As a back-up there is room to crash at the side of the ski lift parking lot)</li><li>It's cold at the 5am start. I wore a long-sleeved shirt the first few miles but didn't need gloves. </li><li>It's OK to start a little faster, but it may cost--this year I had equal or faster splits between each of the aid stations until the last 3</li><li>A second water bottle isn't needed until 32 or 37 miles. I drank most of a 20 oz bottle of Gu2O between each aid station with additional water (mainly pored on my head) later on.</li><li>It's good to carry an extra gel pack. Plain or vanilla are the easiest on a queasy stomach. I grabbed an espresso again this year at an aid station, but this time realized it before gagging. I ate one gel pack per aid station with a couple extra when I felt hunger pangs. A popsicle in the middle of the wilderness was very cool, but the purple taste was a bit much.</li><li>A baby wipe could come in handy after Twins aid station. Imodium can be your friend.</li><li>Most aid stations had Tums. My leg muscles don't seem to cramp as much if I have a couple of them during the race.</li><li>Having family at aid stations is such a boost, that you can mentally block out the fact is must be super boring for them to wait for that one minute you'll be together. Emily is a great crew chief.</li><li>There's 11,000 feet of up, and the same of down. That's an average of 350' of change per mile. If it's uphill at all, then it is steep enough to walk. But it will cost you. My split up the last mountain was the slowest of the top 12 runners.</li><li>There's no such thing as an insurmountable lead in an ultra- I passed someone on the final section again this year.</li><li><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373813493198675138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SpOe5n9O3MI/AAAAAAAAANY/biRWaWcVa2A/s200/sitting+with+icecream" border="0" />It's good to finish strong, if the legs allow. I'm the only one to ever race the last section in less than an hour. My first year that section was pure torture and took over twice as long.</li><li>1st master and 4th overall is worth $700. Ice cream at the finish-line is priceless. Thank-you Sheryl!</li><li><a href="http://roguevalleyrunners.blogspot.com/2009/08/bam.html">Erik Skaggs is very fast</a></li><li>A chunk of metal with a blue ribbon and a "title" makes me feel good about myself for longer than the soreness or prize money lasts</li><li>"Overall" is cooler than "masters", but at least I'm not getting slower--yet.</li></ul></div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-44637110925513507542009-08-01T20:07:00.000-07:002009-08-01T20:18:20.812-07:00Cascade Lakes Relay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SnUE4V7G4PI/AAAAAAAAANA/pkH-i_e4Vlg/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SnUE4V7G4PI/AAAAAAAAANA/pkH-i_e4Vlg/s400/Picture+001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365199897086058738" /></a><br />Esther and I did a 12 person 216.6 mile relay race that wound from Diamond Lake to Bend. Esther took and extra leg totalling 23 miles over 4 legs. It took our team of Central Point area church members 30.5 hrs. We had 4 highschoolers on the team. Our team captain, John Lotts was the oldest. We slept for a couple of hours in a makeshift camp at the side of the road while the other van's runners did their nightime legs.<div>We got rained on, endured rough surfaces, high heat, and strong headwinds, got misdirected 1.2 miles the wrong way, bitten by misquitos, sunburnt and blistere. </div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SnUFTKoGh8I/AAAAAAAAANI/rAw_0QNfZ2I/s200/Picture+002.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365200357910022082" /><div>Esther's hips hurt and I had gastric distress my 2nd leg. But we had a lot of fun with some great people. </div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-42629240435659131492009-07-20T23:55:00.000-07:002009-07-27T13:40:03.375-07:00States<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SmVrQGn9UrI/AAAAAAAAAL4/69MdYR6fbTs/s1600-h/Neil+Olsen_WS100_09_MB.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360808855854731954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SmVrQGn9UrI/AAAAAAAAAL4/69MdYR6fbTs/s320/Neil+Olsen_WS100_09_MB.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I survived the <a href="http://www.ws100.com/results09.htm">Western States 100 mile</a> race from Squaw Valley near lake Tahoe to Auburn Washington. <div><br /></div><div>Todd Ragsdale and Esther came with in my folks' camper-van. They were my crew, meeting me at 4 places along the route with fresh socks and tapioca pudding. They were also my pacers for the last 38 miles, which actually was quite a blessing. Todd can talk the paint off the wall, which helped the miles go by.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360809145310651826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SmVrg87oJbI/AAAAAAAAAMA/69y3j42-Sz8/s320/IMG_1482.JPG" border="0" /> <div><br /></div><div>I tried not to get worn out too fast, but still started feeling poorly just 2/5th the way into the race. Before this I would have thought 13:45 per mile was pretty lame, but there was a lot of uphill (18,000') and I didn't/couldn't go fast on the downhill (23,000').</div><div> </div><div>Bev Abbs and a bunch of other people passed me. But on the other hand, a bunch of really good runners didn't finish. <a href="http://webcast.ws100.com/webcast.php?bibno=70">I was 46th</a> of the 238 finishers and 400 starters. I don't know if or when I'd do this race again. I've been going easy on the running since then, but I'm looking at doing <a href="http://www.wpsp.org/ww100k/">Where's Waldo 100k</a> on Aug 22nd.</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-46766645175983724012009-06-06T18:14:00.000-07:002009-06-06T20:38:55.493-07:00Graniteman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sis1rPE5umI/AAAAAAAAALI/nLmCYTUfK1U/s1600-h/granite+plaques.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sis1rPE5umI/AAAAAAAAALI/nLmCYTUfK1U/s320/granite+plaques.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344424399702964834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sisw87zNOeI/AAAAAAAAAK4/xkvwDpPXBVo/s1600-h/hardware+from+graniteman.jpg"><br /></a>Esther and I did a races at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=applegate+lake,+OR&sll=37.579413,-95.712891&sspn=33.093734,66.621094&ie=UTF8&ll=42.047062,-123.138027&spn=0.030466,0.097675&t=p&z=14">Applegate lake</a> called <a href="http://www.roguemultisport.com/eventcalendar/graniteman.html">Graniteman</a>. She ran 11 miles around Collins mountain and I did 2 laps around the lake.<div><br /></div><div>Esther was 3rd, inspite of starting 30 minutes late. Thanks to chip timing, it didn't matter. She was by herself for a time, then caught a few people. She and I both got nice granite plaques.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.montrail.com/AthleteDetails.aspx?id=192&sport=2#">Bev</a> and <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E1tEsdn7gHE/RnQi_GFeh9I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/v6CVuibnxgE/s400/michal_annika3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html&usg=__UXHez4yhaoyyX0eiledZIwSYaRI=&h=200&w=145&sz=15&hl=en&start=9&sig2=rAzAMIHqzb1xYVctsZRJCw&um=1&tbnid=QVrurgSALhmEbM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=75&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drunnersworld%2Bbev%2Babbs%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rlz%3D1C1CHMB_enUS329US329%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=Jx0rSvH6KZOotAPBorHjCg">Alan Abbs</a> came up from Redding. Bev was voted the #2 female ultrarunner in the US in 2007. </div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sis16Lpq2nI/AAAAAAAAALQ/yXX10-Kyg-0/s320/granite+mud+and+blood.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 114px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344424656481475186" /><div>One of my claims to fame is that she has yet to beat me. So while we were both doing this </div><div>as training runs for the long run we're planning in 3 weeks, I didn't want to change that so I had to work a little harder than I wanted, but it all went fine. There were only 8 people in my race. </div><div>My knee did OK. I've got some instep pain now that is lingering. It stinks to get older. I slipped on the one short muddy spot in the whole race. I think I had my shirt on inside-out the entire 5 hour race and didn't even notice.</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-35121185248685451162009-05-01T00:31:00.000-07:002009-07-27T13:46:46.301-07:00physician, exercise thyself<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SfqpKysHEqI/AAAAAAAAAKs/KjPosBeh3gs/s1600-h/pear+2009+finish.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330759111816975010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/SfqpKysHEqI/AAAAAAAAAKs/KjPosBeh3gs/s320/pear+2009+finish.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The hospital PR people talked the editors of <a href="http://www.southernoregonmag.com/">Southern Oregon Magazine</a> to do a piece on physicians that exercise. I fear saying less than wise things outloud, so I typed the following in answer to her questions in hopes that she can use any of it in her story to motivate others to exercise more:<br /><br />I have some patients that absolutely can't exercise due to conditions such as paralysis, or debilitating arthritis. Most of them do fine. But for anyone that can, I feel strongly that exercise is a very beneficial part of life.<br /><br />The body is amazing because the more you do now (up to a point,) the more you will be able to do latter, and the healthier it will be.<br /><br />Investing time and effort into exercising yields a longer, and probably more importantly a higher quality life.<br /><br />Exercise decreases the risk of a wide range of conditions from heart attacks to low back pain. It is a necessary component of successful weight-loss programs, it helps pressure, sugar, and cholesterol. It decreases the risk of falls and osteoporotic fractures, and it improves depression. If my patients exercised more, I would have significantly less work to do.<br /><br />I run. It's the fastest way for me to use large muscle groups and burn calories, requires less gear and skills-training than most sports, and is very portable. I've run during lay-overs in the neighborhoods near airports, along the Nile river in Cairo, and in circles on base when I was deployed to the Middle East. Treadmills can be expensive, but I use ours when I'm too lazy to put on the right clothes to go out in the weather or when I want to watch a movie on the VCR. But I really enjoy running on trails in the woods, especially with a group of training partners that are close friends. At first I ran to stay in shape for mountain climbing, but I rarely get the chance to do any of that. And I've had really good success winning races. After I got over the surprise of that, competing has been a very positive reinforcing motivator for me.<br /><br />I first ran an ultramarathon (~anything longer than marathon) to try and help pace my friend Todd Ragsdale at the SOB 50k by Mt Ashland in 2004. We were in the lead but had someone (John Ticer) catch us. I stayed ahead, but Todd dropped back to 3rd. I've won 2 of the 4 marathons I've run, and 5 of the 9 50k's. I won the USATF masters (over 40) 50 mile trail championship in 2007 and the overall USAFT 100k trail championship this past year. My best at the Pear Blossom 10 mile has been 5th.<br /><br />My training strategy is mainly to run every other day. Top flight runners usually run twice as much as I do, but this is what's working for me. I do some sit-ups, and push-ups, and if I had more time and easier access to weights I think I'd lift once or twice a week. On a busy day sometimes it is midnight before I get around to running, but I do it anyway. I try to go long (2 to 4 hours, up to 25 miles) a couple of Saturday mornings per month when I can. My other runs usually fit into one of 4 categories: "pace runs" where I go hard for about 4-6 miles; intervals where I go fast for 1/2 to 1 mile, rest, then repeat several times; runs with the high school crosscountry team doing whatever they are doing that day which sometimes involves short intervals; or "recovery" runs where I just go easy. When I'm by myself, my GPS watch or the readings on the treadmill motivate me to push myself. I use a heart rate monitor about a third of the time to check whether I'm pushing hard enough, but not so hard that I won't be capable of maintaining my pace.<br /><br />I think people have better success if they incorporate exercise into their lifestyle- do it in the morning if they can, ride their bike to and from work like Dr. Davis, walk at lunch, stop at the gym on the way home, or whatever works for them. Include family members. But do it. Its one of those "important," but not "urgent" parts of life that get neglected unless you plan for it and stick with the plan. These are the things that discriminate between people that "react" to life and struggle to get by, and those who are "proactive" and in control of their destiny.<br /><br />I incorporate much of my running into my family's life while being mindful that it is a balance. I've got 5 kids, and they run with me at times. They seem to enjoy doing the local road races with me, especially after winning some raffle drawings. They've won more than their share- gift certificates to Rogue Valley Runner, lessons at the Rogue Rock gym, and even a TV, which is ironic since TV's lead to less exercise. My middle son is always up for a run to the dollar store. My daughters realize I'm less irritable after a run, so they sometimes drag me out of the house with them. My youngest just rides in the stroller, but like most kids he really seems to like that. I've taken that stroller all sorts of places including the Lilly Glen trail on Johns Peak when it was all muddy. Before my kids got fast, I'd set the brake on the stroller to give me a good <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sm4RWWUYWgI/AAAAAAAAAM4/oVALEwHJdG8/s1600-h/doctors275smr09d.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363243281890695682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 243px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ystFZBB9_JU/Sm4RWWUYWgI/AAAAAAAAAM4/oVALEwHJdG8/s320/doctors275smr09d.jpg" border="0" /></a>workout while going the pace my kids could maintain. If my youngest wasn't available, sometimes I'd put a bucket of laundry soap in the stroller and push it without him. It's been a great way to spend time with my kids. Quizzing one of my kids while she rode a bike or rollerbladed and I ran behind the stroller was the main way she learned her school spelling lists. A jogging stroller also makes it easier to carry stuff if I'm doing errands. I didn't have it Tuesday when my oldest son and I ran, and it really slowed me down to carry 2 gallons of milk home the mile from Ray's. I recommend "Bob" strollers since my brother-in-law designed the original for them as a college project. My dog loves to come with, but she starts to lag after a few miles. I've got a sad story about a time I tried to take her longer than she could manage. After that she rode in the stroller for a couple of weeks while her paws healed. Back when I was more organized, I'd further multitask by listening to continuing education tapes while running errands pushing the stroller with the kids. Once in awhile I'll have my wife drop me off a few miles from our destination when we're traveling so I can get my run in on those remaining miles. The time we were going to meet friends at Applegate Lake I ran slower than I thought I would on a long run on the back roads, but it worked out well when my friends picked me up on their way on upper Applegate road and drove me the last few miles. The other time I bit off more than I could chew running home from Ashland I called my wife for a ride home. She was busy with a project and declined to retrieve me. Another time I incorporated running with routine travel was when I got in a long run when my son rode his razor scooter from our home to the school on Juaniperro on the other side of Medford for a soccer game. I ran laps around the school while more-or-less watching his game, then we ran/scooted home again.<br /><br />I don't expect normal people to do most of what I do, but I want them to take courage from seeing what can be done. Being busy with work/chores/church/scouts, bad weather, family, etc are things to manage, not valid excuses not to exercise. I started (my long runs) the same way everyone else does- I ran a bit, walked a bit, and repeated building up slowly over time. I trained my kids to expect physical activity as part of their lives. Fortunately, my wife has been very supportive of all this.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />-Neil Olsen</div>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-65403142517223159022009-03-11T21:56:00.000-07:002009-03-11T22:12:23.968-07:00Adventures in TherapyThis whole quarter has felt like a waste and, more or less, it has been one. Upon returning from Christmas break I have dealt with a hip injury. There have been several theories about what could be the problem, the current and final is that it is a tight / irritated IT band (the muscle that runs from your hip to knee). In the hopes of loosening it I was sent to get a massage from a lady called Meghan. She gives massages to the women’s basketball team and was beginning to give them to team members as well. So one Wednesday afternoon found me at the doorstep of her mint green home. Upon arrival I could not help but notice the ultra-marathon posters and trophies that covered the walls of her home. I came to find out I was in the home of Meghan ARBOGAST. THE Meghan Arbogast who held the Where’s Waldo course record until my father broke it last summer. THE Meghan Arbogast who is indisputably one of the best ultra-marathoners… EVER! Yeah, that’s who I got my butt massaged by.<br /><br /><br />Some cool sites :<br /><br /><a href="http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=13650">http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=13650</a><br /><a href="http://runningmegleg.blogspot.com/">http://runningmegleg.blogspot.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.bostontrials2008.com/index.cfm?pk=bio&bioID=150">http://www.bostontrials2008.com/index.cfm?pk=bio&bioID=150</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-57493709661588694072009-03-09T00:18:00.000-07:002009-03-09T00:47:14.235-07:00trying againIf there's a theme to the last few blogs, rest assured it isn't by choice.<br />I've followed Emily's example and have been going to PT out of desparation. It's not been very rewarding. Even the 10 minute casual bike ride to work has been painful. And I almost stopped running all-together for a couple of weeks. So after weeks of treatment, icing, stretching, etc and with the blessing of my therapist (physical therapist, although my mental therapist would agree it it's necessity) I've tried running a couple of times this week, and it hasn't hurt more afterwards, so I'm going to do more of that! Yesterday I did six 1/2 mile hill repeats with 1/2 mile recovery on the treadmill. By doing 6% at 9 mph I got my heart rate up to 185 for a couple minutes at a time, which is 6 beats higher than my theoretic maximum. High heart rates happen to me when I restart training after a break, but that seemed extreme. And if anything, I'm feeling better today than a couple of days ago. <br /><br />I think the nerve endings or some other aspect of the tissues in front of my knee cap were continuing to send pain signals, even in the absence of tissue damage. At least, that's what I want to believe. I'm going to try building up quickly, but I'll have to see how things go this summer. I'm still planning on going to Moab in 3 weeks even if I can't bike. Mac Forest is in 2 months. The only other things I'm registered for are States and Hood to Coast (with co-workers.) I'll optimistically sign up for Where's Waldo again.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16565481814640435099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1880776835832151729.post-57885076462126582002009-02-09T19:02:00.000-08:002009-02-09T20:31:34.475-08:00So now I write...I have been poked and prodded, stretched and flexed to the point where even gymnasts would be jealous. I have been ice packed, ice cupped and ice bathed. I have had bags of ice plastic wrapped to my body to the point I could not walk. I have been heat packed, foam rolled, messaged, ultra sounded and been hooked up to machines that send small electric pulses through your muscles. I have arm biked to the brink of insanity and peered over it's vast horizon into it's inky unknown. I have pumped iron and push ups and crunches until my body burned. And yet, I have not ran.<br /><br />Running is an interesting sport, it is intense, cruel, painful, magnificent. It tears you down only to leave you stronger. It requires it's athletes to be more than just physically strong but mentally, spiritually, emotionally tough. Running requires a soundness of mind as well as body. It does not ask, it demands.<br /><br />No one has ever known torment like that of an athlete unable to perform. Someone once said runners were courageous and therefore stupid. I disagree with their reasoning. By definition courage is to have the mental or moral strength to venture or persevere. Courage is doing what is right even at a sacrifice; that is not stupidity. I am sorry if this is blasphemous but I believe that Jesus must have been a runner, how could He have withstood so much pain?<br />And so, I shall persevere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3