Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year 2010


As we count down the final moments of the old year and prepare to step into the new, maybe even a new decade, depending on whether you celebrated the new millennium in 2000 or 2001, it's good and customary to reflect on the year almost done and perhaps, if we are smart, project what we've learned in 2009 to what we want to do in 2010.

Highlights for me in 2009:
Ran the 3M Half Marathon in Austin as a relay with Zenna James. This gave Zenna a good introduction to something beyond a 10k while not having to run much more than a 10k. Relays, with the right teammates, are mega fun.

Ran the Texas Independence Relay (TIR) with our mostly musician team and broke our time from the previous, inaugural, year. The experience enhanced my regard for this as one of my favorite races.


In May it was the Beach to Bay with three new runners. Thank you Zenna, Tony and Carina. This is a different experience each year and I am sure 2010 will have its own twist too.

July was a down time for a couple of surgeries, not athletic injuries, but giving me a slight overhaul which definitely makes running even more fun than before.

Back on the road after a few weeks down time, the weather is frightfully hot and dry. I ran Carroll Voss' Sunrise 10k in August, a good race and a good measure. Also hilly and a real challenge. I then ran a 20 miler at Ft. Sam Houston in September. This beat me up pretty good, but also kicked by butt into continuing to make up for the training time lost with the surgery and recovery.

Rock'n'Roll San Antonio in November was a reality check for the event, in only its second year, and for the large field of runners. Those who are veterans of San Antonio running suspected there wouldn't be another year of "ideal" racing weather as in the 2008 race, and Mother Nature proved them right. The tough conditions tested every runner, but it was still a thrill. Even more thrill was that Zenna competed in her first half marathon and my nephew-in-law Bill Bittick ran his first marathon. Congratulations to everyone!

It's not all about me, you know. I took huge pride in watching from afar my TIR teammates Dorian and Fred Ramirez extend themselves into the Cozumel (Mexico) Ironman. Congratulations! You made us all proud.

I give thanks for having the health to continue running in 2009. I turned 61, which is both sobering and challenging. I hope I'm allowed to run another 20 years. At the same time I wish all of the best for another of my TIR teammates Steve Hager as he rehabs an Achilles injury. Take it a step at a time, buddy, and meet us in Gonzales for TIR 2010. And that reminds me. I finally met Joy and Jay Hilscher, whose vision and superb organization bore the fruit which is the TIR.

Finally, in 2009 I took in a mother dog and her 8 newborn puppies. She died, and my heart fell further with each of the puppies who left (2 went to new homes, 1 strayed and has yet to be found, and 1 was hit and killed by a car). Of the 4 puppies remaining, now adolescents, 3 love to run. They are each becoming a part of my regimen and this will surely continue into the new year.

Enter the New Year:
Thankfully, we don't shed off the old with each change of the calendar, despite the traditional Father Time being replaced midnight December 31st with an infant New Year. We have the good fortune of carrying wisdom and accrued conditioning into the new year. Those of us fortunate enough to have run through 2009 injury free give our individual and collective thanks for 365 days which now propel us into the next chapter. Those who were injured go into the new year with the gift of determination and the value of lessons learned.

I look to the New Year with best wishes for my fellow runners. Congratulations to those who took important first steps to the fitness and satisfaction which comes with committing to and staying the course towards a healthy life. May the year bring us all mega-miles of pleasure and good health!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Talkers and Doers

I've been around runners long enough now to know there are some who talk and some who do. Few runners will remain silent about their latest race or their latest long run. It's understandable. We're proud of our accomplishments and, who knows, our talking about it just might prompt a listener into action. We all hope that our talk (some might hear it as bragging) will get a non-runner to become interested in running, or at least some aerobic level of walking. More often, our talk is heard by other runners. I guess that's another of our intentions: to find someone with whom to talk shop. But sometimes we talk not of what we have done, but what we plan to do. The question this raises is how often does future tense become past tense? In other words, how often does our talk become action?

Last weekend I was listening to Car Talk on NPR, more specifically on Texas Public Radio, and a caller to the program prefaced her "car talk" with: "I just got in from a 14 mile run." This information had absolutely nothing to do with her car issue for which she was seeking advice. It was just something she blurted out. I'm certainly not the only runner who heard her mention her 14 miles. We all speculated on what race she's training for, how fast did she do it and finally, on when we could get out and run a 14 mile loop as she had described. It sounded like a great idea to me and it's been on my mind ever since.

That same weekend I ran into my nephew-in-law who had run his first marathon recently at the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio. Bill is a good runner for as big a guy as he is. He ran 25 minutes faster than I did; of course, he's 25 years younger than me, too. Bill and I met at our family Christmas gathering and I could see those around us look for other conversations when Bill and I began runner talk. What's your next race? How much have you run since the marathon? These sorts of things. I encouraged Bill to sign up for the 3M Half Marathon next month (January) in Austin. It's a great race, overall downhill, an opportunity to test your speed at a more reasonable distance than a marathon yet still a challenging distance.

"I'm thinking about it," Bill said.

"I just signed up," was my reply.

"I'm thinking about a 10 mile training run this week," he said, "to see if I'm ready."

"Me too," came my reply as I remembered still the suggestion earlier in the day of a 14 mile loop.

As I said, many runners are filled with best of intentions but aren't always good at paying it out. That's what was on my mind when I started a run this late, chilly afternoon. My thought was to run 4 or 5 miles. But it felt pretty good, I dressed right for the chill, and within a couple or three miles I decided it time to put up or shut up about a 10 miler. It wasn't fast, it wasn't pretty, but it's the longest I've run since the marathon 5 weeks ago and puts me on a good trajectory for next month's half marathon.

How about you, Bill? Are you a talker or a doer? How was your 10 miler?

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Big Bend Ultra to Return in 2011


See that picture of me in the right column? That's taken at the finish line of the Black Gap 50K back in January of 2007. I have run this event twice; it falls under the heading of favorite races. That's why so many of us were saddened when race organizer Carroll Voss was forced to cancel the race in 2008. It seemed at that time the race was finished for good. There was just too much disappointment for Carroll to continue struggling with the difficulties of putting on a quality event in such a remote setting.


Well, I have it from Carroll Voss directly that the Big Bend Ultra Run lives again and though it won't make it back for 2010, it is a definite GO for 2011. Mark your calendar now for January 16, 2011. That's Martin Luther King weekend, the traditional time for the last two races which were run. Personally, I think this is a great time to go out to Big Bend National Park and run a race. Here's why:


The weather will be cool to cold. Throw in a goodly helping of the unknown and it makes for an exciting event in which Mother Nature might throw in a cold front, rain, sleet, or lots of sun with indescribably blue skies.


By mid-January the holiday crowds have moved on. This means more available accomodations for those who prefer to sleep on a bed rather than in a sleeping bag. In fact, Carroll tells me there will be some additional rooms available in Terlingua which have not been there in the past. Personally, I enjoy staying in my tent in the little tent village which sprouts out of the group campground at Rio Grande Village. The race organizers provide transportation to the starting line on race morning and transportation back to Rio Grande Village after you finish the race.


The Big Bend Ultra Run is either a 50k (31 miles) or 25k (15.5 miles). I have run the 50k each time, as much for the opportunity to run through the somewhat spooky "black gap" as for running an "ultra" distance. That said, I am sure the 25k course is spectacular also. The races have a common start line (and a common start) and a common finish line. I can't imagine a more spectacular finish line anywhere. You will say wow.


Carroll Voss promotes the 50k as a logical distance for testing the so-called ultra distances (anything beyond the 26.2 miles of a marathon) and I concur. If you are looking for a distance challenge but are not yet ready to chew on a 50 miler, this 50k is for you. It is run on primitive road, rough but mostly passable for high clearance vehicles. The breathtaking scenery and the sense of isolation give a special character to this race. Support is excellent as is the company and the pre and post race outdoor dining. Let's welcome back this great race with lots of runners. The details will be evolving over the next few months, but consider this post as an unofficial official notice that we will be racing come January 16, 2011.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Top Running Play List in Dallas

They're getting ready for the White Rock Marathon in Dallas on December 13th. Wish I could run it. Here's a top dozen running playlist from readers of the Dallas Morning News. Enjoy....
Readers offer picks for White Rock running playlist | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

Monday, December 7, 2009

Gifts for the Athlete on Your List


Alright! The term athlete is a loose one, but according to Shelly Campbell, a local triathlete and coach, you qualify as an athlete when you start to "do it." So....if you or a person on your holiday gift list have begun a fitness regimen you now qualify as an athlete. This might mean regular trips to the gym or logging mileage one way or another out of doors (and I don't mean in your car!). Congratulations for making that important commitment to exercise regularly and eat more sensibly. Keep it up! And if you are one of those who waits until New Year's Day to make a fitness resolution, why not now? Those resolutions place a lot of pressure on you and, truth be told, they rarely succeed. So why don't you get started now, or at least on Christmas Day?

If you are making a list and checking it twice, here are some giving ideas for the athlete on your list:

Heart Rate Monitor - This is one of the most useful tools you can have for getting the best out of your workout, whether it's on a treadmill, an exercise bike, elliptical trainer or, better yet biking, running or swimming. With a bit of planning you can learn what your heart rate is telling you about how hard or light your workout is. Data from the heart rate monitor can tell you to step it up, hold current pace, or slow down, depending on your fitness goals. Most monitors come as a watch, which in turn can be a full function chronograph, a fancy name for a stop watch. Though they might be a bit intrusive for some, I think the systems which take their data from a strapped-on sensor around your chest work the best. Read the linked reviews for more information. $50-$150, depending on the features.

Nike+iPod Sport Kit - This is a gift for the runner who likes to listen to an iPod while running. A sensor seats into specially designed Nike running shoes, a receiver plugs into the iPod, and the two communicate distance and pace. There are plenty of user configurations which can make this a pretty sophisticated tool, plus the data which is generated during a run can then be uploaded to Nike's Nike+ website for storage and analysis. Bottom line: these are a lot of fun. $29

Nike+ SportBand - If you don't run with an iPod, the Nike SportBand works pretty much like the Nike+iPod except the sensor in the shoe sends its data to a receiver on your wrist. $59

Garmin Forerunner
- GPS is not just for automobiles. For the serious runner, biker or hiker, the Garmin series of Forerunner products are excellent training and informational tools. Using the same technology which powers automotive GPS units, the Forerunner measures distance and speed while also tracking the elapsed time of your workout. This is the most accurate method for measuring distance and, depending on the features which are included, the Forerunner products can also record your route and analyze your heart rate. There are myriad models of Forerunner at many different price levels. If you can afford it, the more fully featured units are the way to go. $112-$352

RoadID - This little company has some great items for runners and cyclists, including their popular wrist or ankle ID straps. I never go for a run without strapping my ID around my ankle. These just might help save your life in the event of an accident. Here's how they describe one of their products:
The Wrist ID Sport is the perfect piece of gear for every athlete. Like all our IDs, it can be laser engraved with your emergency contact information. It comes standard with two 3M reflective stripes to enhance your visibility when training in the dark. The Wrist ID Sport is available in six colors and both Original and Interactive versions. $20

Amphipod Reflective Xinglet - Amphipod makes a whole line of products for runners and cyclists, including various reflective articles for the out late runner or walker. I'll admit, these look a bit like the wide suspenders your grandpa used to wear, but for me they are more comfortable than wearing a full reflective vest. Don't run again at dusk or after dark without wearing either a vest or this innovative product from Amphipod. $25-$30

Workout clothing - It you're like me, you hate for someone else to buy shoes or clothing for you. This is especially true for athletes. You will probably do better to give your athlete a gift card and send them out to a quality sporting goods store. For runners, get them a gift card from a store which caters to runners. For cyclists, a store which serves cyclists. I swear by this and believe you will too once you've gotten the attention and knowledgeable advise which comes from the experts. My other advise regarding clothing is to buy items which use the latest "technical" materials. No one should run in cotton any more, nor in cheap synthetic fiber. The top manufacturers are the ones to go with: Nike, Brooks, Saucony, etc. Again, go to a specialty store for the best selection and highest quality. $5-$100s

Sunday, December 6, 2009

3X3

Walking all four dogs at once has now become a manageable task, though Larry tugs at his leash, driving forward with those stout back legs of his. Now and then I have trotted with all four dogs leashed, but anything much beyond a brisk walk is outside of Miss Petey's range. I think she may have a bit of hip displasia, which in turn makes it more difficult for her to be as athletic as her brothers. Of course, I could also conjecture that she is simply more "feminine" and is more comfortable deferring to her tuxedoed siblings. She is definitely no Annie Oakley, though lately Petey has shown some dance moves which are beyond anything her brothers can do.

Larry's tendency to pull ahead when we walk suggested that I try him one more time running on a leash. My intentions this afternoon were to go out alone with Larry, just to test what he would do, but the leashes have now become a signal to them all that there is some activity planned and they all become giddy with anticipation. Petey, being aloof as she sometimes is, was into her own world in the back yard, such that I decided to go ahead and see if we could manage a little jog as a foursome, three dogs and their master.

Leashes attached, the brothers tore through the front door, tugging in anticipation. I think they almost enjoy more this participatory activity than running willy-nilly free, though I would love to eventually be able to control them without the leashes. For now their attitude is "no leash, no obey" and it puts them into dangerous situations I would rather avoid.

Walking 3 or 4 dogs on leashes has been a learning experience for us all. The first time we tried it I was desperate to keep the leashes untangled. Now I have concluded that the leashes are going to tangle, become braided or plaited together, and that's alright. This same process works when we are running. The only rule I try to enforce is that they walk, or run, to my left, such that they are between me and the curb. This is my own runner discipline in play since I run on the left side of the street, facing oncoming traffic 99% of the time. I figure if I keep the dogs next to the curb there is less likelihood of their getting into the way of oncoming cars. It was a struggle at first to train them to this way, but they've now picked it up pretty well. The lesson there is to be consistent in my expectations and they eventually come around to my way of thinking.

To my pleasant surprise today all three of the tuxedo brothers found a pace they liked: my pace. No one complained, though Larry did tug a bit at first. My next question was what sort of endurance they would have since Larry was new to this. Pepe and Bert have run with me several times and can now manage 3-4 miles. I kept an eye on Larry and he just kept going, not seeming to tire. Bert is still the one who will finally fall back a little bit. I slow the pace and he does fine. They all still get curious about what's going on around them, but I try to keep them focused on running and they are becoming more attuned to that with each run. They are good dogs and will eventually run some races with me. Today we managed 3 miles.

The San Antonio Roadrunners (SARR), sponsors of the Turkey Trot over at McAllister Park, allow dogs at that event. In fact, I saw one runner with a Greyhound, I would guess a racetrack rescue dog. I wouldn't want to keep up with him, nor am I sure my dogs are ready for that either. Also, the crowd of 2 thousand plus would spook them and they are still not ready to be around other dogs. That's a hurdle I hope we can clear soon, perhaps through further visits to the dog park.

As I write this all four of my pooches are chowing on the biggest bones they've seen yet. I gave each of them a pig's femur. I hope this activity will keep them occupied for awhile, though I see that Pepe has already worked through one of the ball joints on his bone and I hear the others all dutifully gnawing away. I'm still more amazed at the power of their jaws than the power of their running, though bit by bit their running athleticism is emerging. Like master, like dog, at least I guess that's what they say.


Pepe meditating.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The Next Race

I wanted to title this post Planning Your Race Card but worried about the erroneous assumptions which would be suggested. But the fact is, I do mean planning your race card, and it has nothing to do with ethnicity, but about .....well.....races. I guess I could find motivation to train without a next race on the horizon. After all, we do this for our well being, for our health, and as an excuse for eating ice cream. When I used to be a drinker I would reward myself with a beer for every mile. You pretty much break even on calories burned and calories consumed. I haven't calculated yet the ratio of miles to dips of ice cream, but I have switched to a lower fat, fewer calories ice cream.

But back to the original topic, planning your race card. I train better if there's a race on the horizon and I brainstormed through today's 6 mile run where and when I want to run the next several races. On the near horizon looms the 3M Half Marathon in Austin. I love that race. It's the first distance race I ever did and it gives me a good measure of what I am gaining or losing with each passing year. Right now I feel pretty good about running a new personal record (PR) in January. This will keep my training honest and it might even prompt me to do some speed work on the track. After the 3M, the next race on my schedule is the Texas Independence Relay (TIR), as much a logistical challenge as a physical challenge. I look forward to it.But that leaves open the month of February and here I am toying seriously with attempting the 50 mile Rocky Raccoon over at Huntsville, Texas. I would never have thought about my race history as being a resume, but that's how Carroll Voss refers to it. I like the idea. Thus far my resume includes too many 10Ks to recall the number, 3 or 4 half marathons, 6 full marathons and 2 50K ultra marathons. The Beach to Bay Relay Marathons have been fun, ditto the 2 TIRs. Still lacking on my resume is a multi-day race run in stages (Marathon des Sables is an exotic example - 145 miles total, run over 6 stages in 7 days, across the Sahara) and the more extended ultra-marathon distances of 50 and 100 miles. This, of course, is where Rocky Raccoon comes into play, maybe. I still haven't decided for sure, but it's definitely playing with my mind. Hmmm...

Then there is something completely different but which might trump one or two running events. The idea of scaling the Pico de Orizaba, an 18,490 foot mountain in Mexico, seems to be moving up my short list of potential adventures. While I lived in Coatepec, Mexico, a small coffee producing town in the State of Veracruz, I was ever in the shadow of the Pico. The first thing I would do every clear morning was climb a ladder to the roof of my house and stare in awe at Orizaba, a classic snow and glacier clad former volcano. It's beautiful. But I have always wondered what the view would be from the top. Is anyone else curious? Want to hire a guide and climb it? It's the 3rd highest peak in North America. The climbing season for the Pico de Orizaba is late December through February, so this is an adventure which may have to wait another year. As we used to say in Mexico, "vamos a ver," "we will see."

So, my race card is still incomplete, but it will fill ever the weeks and months ahead. This is what keeps me an honest runner.

San Antonio Runners Rule @ B2B 2010

San Antonio teams swept 4 of the top 5 places at this year's Beach to Bay Marathon Relay in Corpus. Two of those 4 SA teams were running for Fleet Feet San Antonio. Congratulations to those competitors: Fleet Feet Sports Mambas, Fleet Feet Juniors, Los Borrachos and GMTC.

Texas Independence Relay Results

The results are in for the 2010 running of the Texas Independence Relay, one of the coolest races to be found in Texas or elsewhere, for that matter. Congratulations to all the participants, to the numerous volunteers, and to race organizers Joy and Jay Hilscher.

Several San Antonio based teams ran the event. Kudos to Dr. Mitchell Finnie, a runner with Los Paisanos, the top finishing SA team. They covered the 203+ miles in 24 hours 53 minutes 30 seconds. The team from the Mid-Texas Symphony, which I led, finished in 29 hours 42 minutes 48 seconds.

Need a Lift?

I just ran across this inspiring blog and highly recommend it. It lifts my spirit to see so many people applying their passion and commitment to running to such great causes.