2012 R2R2R Group – Training Log’s

That is sketchy Craig, glad you made it home with your sidekick.

They're getting incredibly bold with us.

I've thought about going back out with some bear spray. Perhaps an experience that would mark the last time they bother a person?

It's tough because running at night is when my schedule allows and I try to avoid running road. I'd feel bad no longer taking my dog with me, but it's getting worrisome.

I can lend you one of my poochies for a couple of runs. They are bred to protect livestock from dangers such as Coyotes. I sometimes tease them by playing coyote howls on my computer, it's a bit mean. Rumor has it that they can snap a coyotes spine with one bite.

Glad to hear you came out unscathed.

Craig,
I'm usually not a proponent of guns, but maybe a .22 pistol would be an option. I say that because you only get a very limited amount of bear spray in a can, and I wonder if that would be enough for several coyotes.

If you still want to run your routes, and the coyotes are on to you, they'll possibly get more and more aggressive.

Like I said, I'm the last person that wants to turn this into another flame war, but considering the circumstances, I'd personally bring a small pistol. And that's the last I'll post about guns here. Period.

Art- our lion biologist got to test exactly that out when they were trying to tag some kittens and mama came back and made a couple of runs at his hounds- it appears it works pretty well, I think there are other incidents on record as well

S&W model 317, 10.8 oz and small, holds 8 .22 LR rounds, load them w/ bird shot rounds- very (very) unlikely to kill a coyote (or pit bull), but would be an effective deterrent imo

Mike

Guys….

I'm in Southern California.

We don't shoot at coyotes or unleashed dogs while jogging.

Not trying to get my first felony conviction over shooting a coyote or someone's dog. I'm saving it for something good.

:)

Very simple:

Shoot
Shovel (or skeedadle)
Shut up

.

Dang, there's open season on coyotes in WI. Literally. You can simply shoot them any place, any time, year-round. Many Wisconsinites think that should be the same law for FIBs. (I kid, I kid!) You can PM me if you don't know what a FIB is.

Borrow a paint ball gun. Tape yer Zebra light on one side… and a video camera on the other.
Now that's entertainment.

^ Oh I like that idea :)

The idea of running and guns doesn't jive well with me.

I say wash your shorts Craig, the coyotes are just smelling that bacon scent you're leaving behind.

Soooooooo, we're just shy of 4 weeks folks!

I'm ready to do this, ready or not. ;-)

For those of you who train in the evenings, you're fortunate, daylight savings is just around the corner. I was just getting used to not wearing my headlamp at 6am. Oh well. On a good note, shorts and T-shirt are now standard attire, goodbye tights!

Bad news. Last week I was shooting for a peak mileage of 50 miles, made up of three 10s and a 20. The first two 10s went so well I thought it was going to be easy, really feeling loose and quite stud-like. The third run went bad 4 miles in when my right shin started burning quite suddenly. I immediately stopped, the pain continued as i walked into a store to pick up supplies, sat right there and iced it and wrapped it. The pain was gone for my walk home. So early this week, a couple 1 mile test jogs revealed the pain was still there but much improved. daily calf stretching, icing, and compression seemed to be doing the trick. I finally got in a 7 mile trail run Friday night and no pain after almost a full week of only cross training.

So when Wisner called about the weekend, I was confident and anxious to break out of this funk. As always he was totally willing to let me warm up, walk and stretch for over an hour, before running. Bam! Knee pain almost immediately! What? I felt this once before on our Baldy peaks run a few weeks ago. Again, I continued running only long enough to confirm it was not a momentary issue, which happen often with me. No bueno, knee pain continues, we turn back and walk 5 miles to the car. A couple beers back at his pad cheered me up a bit.

So now I'm in ITB rehab mode. Foam roller, ice, compression, stretching, lots of beer and bad words. Finding out I need to run to be happy these days. I had high hopes of running the canyon like an impala, now Im thinking more of slow hobble type, maybe like a skunk? Are there skunks in the canyon? to be continued….

Somebody say bacon!?!

Enjoy the time change and have fun. That's the whole point after all.

Don't kill yourselves, you're not getting any younger.

Adan
sorry to hear of your trobules, hope you heal up.

Major rule #1 for Adan and everyone else :
More important to be healthy and healed than to be in shape.

Don't overdo it.
this RRR is a really big stretch for many involved.
just realize it takes time (as in years) to get your body in good ultra shape.
train … yes, but be careful not to overdo it.

p.s.
joint and connective tissue supplements really do help (in my opinion).

We'll get you through this homie, one way or another.

______________________________________________________________________________________

"Don't kill yourselves, you're not getting any younger."

It actually the opposite. I've got to do more of this sort of thing precisely because I'm not getting any younger. I'm 35, but stronger, faster, and smarter (I think) than I was at 25. I intend to keep this reverse aging thing going as long as I can.

Besides, the countdown is on; I might have only 40 more Aprils in my life. Running the Grand Canyon R2R2R with a bunch of new friends will certainly make April #40 more memorable. 39 to go….

And if I blow my legs to hell running ultras over the next few years then it'll just be time to start surfing more seriously or start scuba diving or long distance ocean kayaking.

… and there's always wheel chair basketball :-)

Adan,
Sorry to hear of the injury. You never know, you may be as good as new in a week or so and the rest may be good for you. And as far as crawl speed on the trip, I suspect many of us will be crawling by the end. Good luck on the healing. One more thing…. When I hit the Mojave on my PCT trip my thigh was absolutely killing me. Even with drugs I could barely hobble into into Hikertown. I couldn't imaging that I would be hiking anytime soon, let alone 30 mile days. Surprisingly though it was much better the next day and within 2 days I back to normal. I will be the optimist for you!

Art, youre totally right. i think im being pretty conservative so far, small mileage increase per week, not running through any pain, etc.

Greg, thanks for the support. dont worry, im not out of the game, i just write like that to be a joker sometimes. By the way, your experiences don't apply to us mortals man, you're an animal.

The tentative plan at this point is to try warming, stretching and rolling the ITB each day followed by a short slow run of about one mile. Then maybe I'll think about trying to build back up slowly, maybe two mile increments, back to a 20 mile run by apr 10.

Craig, those dang coyotes are as bad as the squirrel that beat me up at Sespe! I'm still traumatized over that.

Adan- heal quickly my friend, if it's turns out your really slow by mid April you can join the skunk pack- led by me :)

I'm glad to say that it appears I'm back in the game :) early week- lots of icing and compression, mid week I got on the stairmaster and ended doing 45 minutes (@ low levels), went for a two mile walk with the wife, and a three mile walk the following day.

Saturday I was on pins and needles and a little nervous about a run (my game plan was if I felt the least bit of twinge in my calf- I'd walk), did a 5 mile loop at a slow pace (normal for me!), today I ran 10 miles and felt pretty good.

The conditions for running are challenging, we are getting well above normal temps (high 60's!) so there is mud, snow, ice AND heat to deal w/- 60 feels like 80!

Ran w/ the handhelds, will take a little getting used to, but overall not too bad- nice and handy to drink. I also found that if my stride starting getting a little out of whack, the bottles would slosh quite a bit- if I was running smooth, no slosh :)

Getting very excited, time is getting very close.

Mike

Sounds like there has been a lot of action lately between coyotes, injuries and healing. I'll second the notion that it takes a few years to build a strong base and several of us have been compressing preparations into a few months. Everyone take care and good luck working out any kinks.

Wow only 4 weeks to go!

I am going to be running with:

Salomon XA Advanced Skin S-Lab 12L Set Pack
1.5L bladder Heed – Taking Premeasured HEED servings in baggies for refills
2x 0.5L Platy w/ bite valves (1x H2O – to cleanse the palate, 1x Perpeteum – for the return)
Gu Gels (flavor variety)
Assorted candy/Salty snack foods
S! Caps
Advil
Sun Screen
Bodyglide
Salomon S-Lab Calf Sleeves
Smartwool Arm Sleeves
Pat. Nine Trails wind shell
Small foot care/first aid kit
Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp
Sugoi lite gloves
Space blanket

Clothes/Shoes:
Pat. Cap. 2 T-shirt
Salomon EXO S-lab Shorts
Buff – for around my head/neck – doubles as a bandage
Salomon XA Cap
Drymax Trail Lite socks
Saucony Progrid Peregrine

Unless Eugene comes through with his end a dare and buys a pair of "banana pants" that I'd then have to wear…

Really sorry to hear Adan. I can definitely feel your pain having gone through that mess before, ITBS is a bastitch, not running because of it is even worse. Keep your head up.

If you need any help or have questions about dealing with ITBS shoot me a PM. I had a nasty bout myself two years ago and found a few things that helped with the healing process.

If you ever feel like whining … Read This.

Geoff Roes Iditarod 2012

@dan,

There will be no banana pants happening man.

@Art,

That's an incredible feat, Roes is diehard. I can't imagine what it takes to push through and endure something of that nature/scale. Pain and suffering is relative, ill do my best not to whine or snivel in April, in the event I do I will pack a handkerchief or tissues.

On a different note, temps are supposed to near 80F this week, maybe a little heat running before April.

will the banana pants make us faster ?

second and final long run on the Old Goats 50 course last Saturday (22 mi.)
close to 7,000' of gain and my legs are slightly toast.
need to run the Old Goats gauntlet in two weeks before I can think seriuosly about the RRR. but its not a goal race, just a training race, so as long as I don't DFL, I'll be satisfied just finishing.