Zion Nat’l Park Traverse 2012, aka “The Trans-Zion”, BPL Group Run-Round #2

[Art …]

Mike – good luck with your Bridger Ridge Run. isn't there a lottery or something?

my achilles (except for the last couple weeks) is improving and doing better than last year and earlier this year.
what seems to help most is serious stretching of my "upper" calf muscle. used to focus on my lower calf, but significant improvement since I began upper calf work.

[Mike M]

Art- yeah I got drawn :(

good to know, I'm 95% sure my achilles problems arise from my tight calves- so I've been doing a fair amount of stretching (often just a couple of miles into a run when I can feel them tighten up)- I've also become a convert to rolling (MCT), seems to help even more than static stretching

Mike

[Hiking Malto]

Wow, why is it every time I get bored and need a training challenge you guys come to the rescue. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't run since the r2r2r trip BUT I have had plenty of 40 mile hiking days on the AT. So, given that I have almost three months to get back in running shape I am very interested in this. Have a slightly longer flight this time, I'm in the process of moving to PA but I think I can pull this off. Put me down as a very definite maybe. Now I have something to train for!

[brian blair]

I'm definitely still planning on doing this with ya'll. I'm unavailable on the weekend of October 13th(Firetrails 50) but am otherwise wide open.

Lets get a date set in stone and a bet people will start committing.

All this Rae Lakes talk is making me happy. Anytime you guys want to plan that I'll happily be there. Once a year isn't quite enough.

B

[Art …]

Brian
John and I have two tentative dates for the Sierras "

July 20-22
Aug 10-12

not sure which trail on which dates, but most likely Reds Meadow-Tuolumne first, then Rae Lakes Loop second.

[Eugene Smith]

I'm not sure if I'm going to make this happen fellas, despite getting this ball rolling. Lame.

I am planning to run Deadman Peaks 50 Oct. 20, not registered yet, but fully intend to be there and hopefully figure that distance and course out. Also on the radar is the Mt. Taylor 50K at the end of Sept. and hopefully the Tommy Knocker 24hr mtb race at the beginning of Sept. Somewhere in all of that I would have to fit in Zion and I don't think work changes, budget, and family is all going to jive with this.

So, at this point, it's looking like I'm a no go for Zion unless I just bail out on Deadman entirely, which is tempting, because a weekend with all of you would easily top Deadman.

[W I S N E R !]

OK, How's about Saturday, October 13th for the run?

My preferences:
1. That's the second weekend of October; temps start dropping pretty good after September- might as well put a little distance between our run and higher average temps. October is a bout as good as it gets out there concerning temps and precip.
2. An extra week or two of training would be beneficial for me after coming off my ITB issues.
3. Whatever date we decide, I'd prefer doing the run on Saturday. I'd travel Thursday afternoon/night, camp in the park (South Campground) and relax on Friday, run Sat., head home Sunday afternoon. My family will likely come with me for this one so they'll want to stay in the park.

[brian blair]

October 13th is the one weekend that does not work for me(Firetrails 50) but if it works for the majority then by all means go for it!

[W I S N E R !]

How about Saturday, October 6th? Too close to your other run Brian? Or bump it all the way back to September 29th? Anything before that will be too early for me training-wise.

Seems like group interest in this trip has quickly waned…I'm pretty much planning on doing it regardless (even if I end up running solo), so if anyone else is still interested in getting a group together, chime in. Otherwise, I'll start making solo plans for it.

[Eugene Smith]

I'm still here Craig, sorry for the lack of participation in this lately. Please don't mistake my silence as a sign of waning interest, quite the opposite actually. Deadman Peaks is going to take a seat to doing Zion this year, this is just too awesome to risk missing.

I was going to suggest the last weekend as well, the beginning of Oct is a little too close to a 50K for me in late Sept.

So…… two votes for Oct 29, anyone else?

Early to mid Oct seems to be peak Zion traverse time, is there a reason for this?

I don't mind layering up appropriately if it gets pushed back, could it be anymore more adverse than what we saw at the R2R2R back in April? I doubt it.

One thing is for sure, we need to "schedule" in some serious brew time post run this time around. I have a feeling our last gathering was only a teaser.

[brian blair]

September 29th works for me….I can commit to that!

I'd be driving out either Thursday night or Friday morning……and then return to SoCal on Sunday afternoon/early evening.

There's a few good spots on BLM land just outside of the park….or we could camp at the campground right near the entrance(can't remember the name). It's very convenient and would be a nice spot for chillin/grillin.

BB

[W I S N E R !]

"So…… two votes for Oct 29, anyone else?"

Did you mean September 29? Or October 29 (which is a Monday)?

I'm down for September 29th for sure….

Glad to hear you're still into it Eugene. I was starting to write it off and look for some other fall runs to do but no "official" races out there seem nearly as cool as Zion.

My vote is for staying at the main campground in the park…my family will be with me for this one and it's a great spot to hang out.

[Eugene Smith]

BB and CW,

I assume you both mean Oct. 29th correct? By "bump back" Craig did you mean to push back the date? September 29th would most likely not work for me.

[brian blair]

It looks like Craig and I were both thinking September 29th…..but I can really do anytime other than the 13th of October. Later in the month is fine for me as I like cold/inclement weather:-)

[Eugene Smith]

it would help if I looked at the calendar…..yes, Saturday Oct. 27th.

Thoughts? Conflicts?

[W I S N E R !]

Internet lag…..

OK…October 29th is a Monday. I'm assuming we don't want that…
October 27th is Saturday. I would be down for October 27th. It would actually be better for me to run later in the month.

I like October 27th best. Let's do it.

[brian blair]

October 27th. That'll work for me.

[Art …]

really would like to do this one, but on the fence if I'll make it.
can't make a decision until after Sep 9.

but Oct 27 would be a great date.

[W I S N E R !]

Halloween Run (close at least…)!!!!!

[Eugene Smith]

Near full moon as well (oct. 29)

Ok, let's call it, Oct. 27th.

Does anyone know of a good beginners C2ZT (Couch to Zion Traverse) training plan I can start?

Post R2R2R hasn't been good to me. ;-p

Are we thinking we'll group camp ala 'Wisner' style, you know, "Leave no trace" and all that jazz? For the R2R2R he even brought crows along to clean up our food scraps while we ran.

I joke with ya brother.

[W I S N E R !]

That was embarrassing. I felt terrible for Rob…It seems we left the place in total shambles. I was digging beer bottles and food out of the snow for a good while the next morning, using a tent pole like an avalanche probe. I know the crows took an entire baguette, two apples, bananas (?!)…at minimum.

Post R2R2R hasn't been great to me either…Coming off the ITB issues, I've barely started getting back into good mileage; basically starting fresh. Just getting over a nasty lung infection too- the last week has been lots of sleeping and Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer madness on the XBox with my son :)

So late October is even better!

[Mike M]

I'll try, I've got the date penciled in. Out deer/elk season gets into full swing end of October, so it's a tougher time for me to get away. I do think the date as far as weather is very close to optimal, cooler = better for me (this heat wave is nearly doing me in!)

[W I S N E R !]

Next questions are East vs. Westbound running and where we're staying.
My vote is for camping at the main Campground (either Watchman or South Campground).

Skurka recommends going westbound, finishing at Lee's Pass, because the bulk of the climbing is done earlier in the run.

If we stay in the main campground, it seems much easier to start on the far end and essentially run towards home (eastbound) rather than away; runners could filter into camp on their own time and cars could be picked up/shuttled again the next day (unless we could get a dropoff driver who isn't running…possibly my wife). One could also bail at the Grotto if necessary and catch a tram back to cut some miles. And honestly, after the R2R2R, some climbing at the end of the day is not a big deal to me.

?????

[Mike M]

going west to east w/ the ability to bail at the Grotto would be a plus for me- I think it's at somewhere near the 32 mile mark

[brian blair]

Eastbound sounds fine to me….being able to get back to camp quickly is pretty appealing.

My birthday is the 24th…..so I'm treating this like a birthday trip. I'll be bringing ample amounts of food/beverages. I may even take a few extra days off work and hang around the area a bit.

B

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