This game is not for those who are absolutely opposed to having a possible smashed face.
This game is for those who like an exciting new way to get some good speed work over the course of a 6-10 mile run....and possibly a smashed face.
These are the steps to the game:
A) Figure out what trail you'll be using.
B) Figure out how many miles you'll want to cover.
C) As undesirable as this part may sound; do some math to find out how long you'll need to cover the distance before it gets dark.
Make sure you do the math wrong. Whatever your second grade teacher taught you about addition and subtraction, yep, just throw it out the window.
D) Now here's the fun part: Leave for your run waaaay too late, don't bring a headlamp and race the sun. Try not to stub your toes, trip, fall, break any bones, get impaled on a tree branch, scrape a knee, elbow, hand, wrist, face, or anything not mentioned. If you do happen to trip, which you will, just pretend you're in the Matrix and don't let yourself fall. And if you must fall, do so gracefully, or at least not around anyone. It's just embarrassing.
*note - eating carrots while running WILL NOT help you. In fact, the only thing that will help you is partying til you puke, I mean running til you puke.
There are various ways to play this game, McGlade Meander of Madness, that what I just named it, just now. It works solo best, but play it with a friend too!
If you have no trail at your disposal, don't fret. You CAN play it on the road following the same rules except you must wear all black and follow the mindset from Dodgeball: "if you can dodge a car, you can dodge a ball." Dodging cars is more dangerous than not tripping over rocks and roots but if you must have a road alternative, I suggest just not playing this game at all.
- Don't play this game. It's a bad idea. Trust me. I learned my lesson...even though it was kind of fun.
-- Patrick
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Utah: To run or not to....never mind.
The past couple of days I have had the extreme pleasure of being in Utah for Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. It's kind of like a giant multi day race expo except where instead of racers, retailers are the ones scoping the latest and greatest gear. I was brought out with SmartWool because they were launching the socks that I tested while running across the US.
I arrived late on Wednesday after a long day of work and a longer flight but awoke early on Thursday to do some early morning sight seeing via my running shoes. I didn't know where I was going so I just stuck to the roads of the city but as the sun came up was greeted with a very nice sight.
It's blurry because it was raining a little bit.
On that same run, I passed the University of Utah and the Olympic torch from the 2002 winter games.
It's just behind the pic of the guy doing skeleton. I got that pic because my brother is on the Olympic Skeleton team and trains in Lake Placid.
I've just realized this is going to be a very long post....
So, there needs to be a little back story as a preface for my next event.
Recently, I submitted my book, Six Miles Per Hour, to the publisher. This is pretty exciting for me. In the book, there is a part where I was hunkered down in my tent and sleeping bag after a hard day's rockin freezing my buns off and reading a book. I mentioned the book I was reading, The Boy Who Climbed Everest, in my own book. The Boy Who Climbed Everest is by Bear Grylls. You know? Man vs. Wild. So last week, I was kind of freaking out because the thought crossed my mind...what if Mr. Bear didn't want to be mentioned and he decided to sue me?? He'd wouldn't get very much but it might take selling some of my stuff to pay him all the suing money because I didn't get his permission! I might have to sell my running shoes, or my banjo!! Hence, freaking out.
I decided the best thing to do would be to try to hunt down his email address and ask him. This is harder than it sounds, but I did find his publicists email which I though might be the next best thing. I wrote her an email but, to no surprise, never heard back. Maybe it's because I forgot to put "B1G M0N3Y" in the subject line.
Fast forward to Thursday. I was walking down the aisle of the expo and I see a long line so I get behind the last person and then as the person in front of me what we were lined up for. "Bear Grylls is signing autographs."
No freakin way!
So I waited my turn in the line and got up to him and told him I had a question to ask him. I explained my little predicament and asked him if it would be alright if I mentioned him in the book.
"I'd be honored. That's quite an achievement."
Got my pic with him, thanked him, and was on my way.
By the way, that dude chugs coffee just like I do!
At the expo, they also had dogs in backpacks.
And not in backpacks. They were still cute.
This guy came up to my belly button.
I also met Scott Jurek. He's also coming out with a book. If you don't know of him, Google him. He has too many accomplishments to list here.
Thursday night was SmartWool's release party. The coolest part was the bar. It was made of ice and, yes, those are actual socks frozen into the ice.
The PhD is also carved. Not written.
At the party I was introduced to Joe Ballant. He's a fellow SmartWool Ambassador and a pretty cool guy.
Friday morning brought an early morning up Canyon Rd with Mark. I was glad he knew the area because that run was a lot more scenic in terms of mountains than that of the previous day.
I don't ever eat fast food but they had a Carl's Jr. And I make an exception for that and In-and-Out burger.
I went with a lettuce wrapped burger to give it a try. It got sloppy.
This is the aftermath.
Friday evening I met up with Joe. We ended up going to his band's practice space for a little bit on Friday night to jam.
Giant Mormon temple.
This was a cool looking art exhibit in the middle of the city. It's a bunch of sticks in the ground at different angles but it looks cooler in person.
Saturday morning I went out for one last run before I left for my flight. On Friday's run with mark we were surrounded by mountains (being in a canyon and all) and I saw all these trail heads but we stuck to the roads. Saturday I did a little more exploring.
I left my room at 6:58 while it was still dark. I ran through the city streets lit by store fronts and street lights. It was very quite and unseasonably warm at about 48 degrees. I ran comfortably uphill the whole way to the first trail head I saw. Stepping onto a trail I've never run is always exciting. It was uphill as I had hoped and climbed steadily toward one of the many peaks I could see. It was light enough to see, but not light enough to call it sunrise by any stretch. The trail continued getting steeper and steeper and the switchbacks began. I was ver surprised at how dry the trail was because of all the rain I'd seen in the past two days.
Sure enough, the trail got more muddy as I climbed higher. It was more than likely because of the melted snow, but the mud was incredibly slick, deep, yet sucked at my shoes like a tar pit. Higher and higher I climbed. I remembered Mark's advice,
"I don't advise running alone because of all the mountain lions."
It was a little late, but I probably should've let someone know where I'd be. As I climbed higher, I viewed more peaks in the distance. Snow capped, jagged beauties. Still, I kept running up. I reached a very loose rocky section that was the steepest yet and the wind whipped me from my left. I reached the summit of that small peak and saw another neighboring one that was even higher.
So I ran on.
Higher and higher and higher and higher. I couldn't get enough of the view even as I was still climbing. As I approached the summit, giants revealed themselves in front of me. In front, the beautiful Wasatch mountains. Behind me just to the right, the city lights of Salt Lake City spread out like a blanket. And to the right of that, the Great Salt Lake itself. If I had to leave that spot in the next year it would be too soon. Unfortunately, my body temperature disagreed since it was quite a bit colder that when I started.
So I turned around and ran back.
Utah kind of rules.
-- Patrick
I arrived late on Wednesday after a long day of work and a longer flight but awoke early on Thursday to do some early morning sight seeing via my running shoes. I didn't know where I was going so I just stuck to the roads of the city but as the sun came up was greeted with a very nice sight.
It's blurry because it was raining a little bit.
On that same run, I passed the University of Utah and the Olympic torch from the 2002 winter games.
It's just behind the pic of the guy doing skeleton. I got that pic because my brother is on the Olympic Skeleton team and trains in Lake Placid.
I've just realized this is going to be a very long post....
So, there needs to be a little back story as a preface for my next event.
Recently, I submitted my book, Six Miles Per Hour, to the publisher. This is pretty exciting for me. In the book, there is a part where I was hunkered down in my tent and sleeping bag after a hard day's rockin freezing my buns off and reading a book. I mentioned the book I was reading, The Boy Who Climbed Everest, in my own book. The Boy Who Climbed Everest is by Bear Grylls. You know? Man vs. Wild. So last week, I was kind of freaking out because the thought crossed my mind...what if Mr. Bear didn't want to be mentioned and he decided to sue me?? He'd wouldn't get very much but it might take selling some of my stuff to pay him all the suing money because I didn't get his permission! I might have to sell my running shoes, or my banjo!! Hence, freaking out.
I decided the best thing to do would be to try to hunt down his email address and ask him. This is harder than it sounds, but I did find his publicists email which I though might be the next best thing. I wrote her an email but, to no surprise, never heard back. Maybe it's because I forgot to put "B1G M0N3Y" in the subject line.
Fast forward to Thursday. I was walking down the aisle of the expo and I see a long line so I get behind the last person and then as the person in front of me what we were lined up for. "Bear Grylls is signing autographs."
No freakin way!
So I waited my turn in the line and got up to him and told him I had a question to ask him. I explained my little predicament and asked him if it would be alright if I mentioned him in the book.
"I'd be honored. That's quite an achievement."
Got my pic with him, thanked him, and was on my way.
By the way, that dude chugs coffee just like I do!
At the expo, they also had dogs in backpacks.
And not in backpacks. They were still cute.
This guy came up to my belly button.
I also met Scott Jurek. He's also coming out with a book. If you don't know of him, Google him. He has too many accomplishments to list here.
Thursday night was SmartWool's release party. The coolest part was the bar. It was made of ice and, yes, those are actual socks frozen into the ice.
The PhD is also carved. Not written.
At the party I was introduced to Joe Ballant. He's a fellow SmartWool Ambassador and a pretty cool guy.
Friday morning brought an early morning up Canyon Rd with Mark. I was glad he knew the area because that run was a lot more scenic in terms of mountains than that of the previous day.
I don't ever eat fast food but they had a Carl's Jr. And I make an exception for that and In-and-Out burger.
I went with a lettuce wrapped burger to give it a try. It got sloppy.
This is the aftermath.
Friday evening I met up with Joe. We ended up going to his band's practice space for a little bit on Friday night to jam.
Giant Mormon temple.
This was a cool looking art exhibit in the middle of the city. It's a bunch of sticks in the ground at different angles but it looks cooler in person.
Saturday morning I went out for one last run before I left for my flight. On Friday's run with mark we were surrounded by mountains (being in a canyon and all) and I saw all these trail heads but we stuck to the roads. Saturday I did a little more exploring.
I left my room at 6:58 while it was still dark. I ran through the city streets lit by store fronts and street lights. It was very quite and unseasonably warm at about 48 degrees. I ran comfortably uphill the whole way to the first trail head I saw. Stepping onto a trail I've never run is always exciting. It was uphill as I had hoped and climbed steadily toward one of the many peaks I could see. It was light enough to see, but not light enough to call it sunrise by any stretch. The trail continued getting steeper and steeper and the switchbacks began. I was ver surprised at how dry the trail was because of all the rain I'd seen in the past two days.
Sure enough, the trail got more muddy as I climbed higher. It was more than likely because of the melted snow, but the mud was incredibly slick, deep, yet sucked at my shoes like a tar pit. Higher and higher I climbed. I remembered Mark's advice,
"I don't advise running alone because of all the mountain lions."
It was a little late, but I probably should've let someone know where I'd be. As I climbed higher, I viewed more peaks in the distance. Snow capped, jagged beauties. Still, I kept running up. I reached a very loose rocky section that was the steepest yet and the wind whipped me from my left. I reached the summit of that small peak and saw another neighboring one that was even higher.
So I ran on.
Higher and higher and higher and higher. I couldn't get enough of the view even as I was still climbing. As I approached the summit, giants revealed themselves in front of me. In front, the beautiful Wasatch mountains. Behind me just to the right, the city lights of Salt Lake City spread out like a blanket. And to the right of that, the Great Salt Lake itself. If I had to leave that spot in the next year it would be too soon. Unfortunately, my body temperature disagreed since it was quite a bit colder that when I started.
So I turned around and ran back.
Utah kind of rules.
-- Patrick
Monday, January 16, 2012
Believers or not (a shameless plug)
So, if you've talked to me in the past 3 years about running or what I run in, Smartwool has come up in the conversation. I am a shameless addict, and now formally a "Smartwool Ambassador." They were one of two companies to respond to letters I wrote to companies when looking for sponsors for the cross country run, and signed me up as a tester immediately. I wrote to them initially because I love their socks. Katie got me my first pair as a Christmas gift several years ago, and they went right to my "must wear" list. True story, I actually have a "must wear" list.
I've had many experiences with Smartwool socks over my short running "career" if you want to call it that. Once, I didn't wash them so many days in a row they stood up on their own. Seriously gross to think about. Most of these experiences I totally forgot I was wearing the socks...but then again isn't that the goal of good sporting apparel? If you're thinking about what you're wearing, it's probably because a tag is stabbing the back of your neck like a colonial barber, or your shorts have somehow turned from soft nylon to sandpaper between your legs. Or, your shirt has somehow started shaving layers of skin from your nipples.
Or even the annoying bunching of socks around the toes, or maybe they don't stay up, or maybe they don't keep your feet dry...these are totally serious problems; that were solved by Smartwool.
My family, though very supportive of all my running, thought I was all hype about backing these socks to the point of sounding like a sock nerd. They thought this, until I bought my sister a couple pairs for Christmas this year. Now, she gets it.
My dad? Same story, except with skiing socks because he is a member of the Massanutten ski patrol.
Katie was having some trouble thinking of a Christmas gift for her mom. I knew she ran, so I suggested a pair or two. Two is all you really need since you don't have to wash them very often. Of course, she loved them.
This plug is almost over, don't worry.
They won't turn you into Geoff Roes, or Usain Bolt. (If you don't know who those people are, Google them. You'll wish you hadn't. Because normal people will never be that good.) But! They will keep you comfy for as many miles as you wish to run.
They fit perfectly in all the right places...if only they made running shorts...
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Could've sworn I posted one recently...
It seems that my phone has deleted my most recent post without me knowing. Oh well...
Hellgate was bad. I've learned a lot from being injured. The first thing is that time off isn't always bad. I learned to stretch properly...something I've never been too good at or too keen on. And I also learned that training for ultras is highly advised. The Hellgate 100k taught me the last one. After 34 miles, I had had enough. I started the race severely out of shape for running a 100k, or even a 50k for that matter. Though I dropped out, I didn't think of it as a failure. It was far from that. I learned about what this sport truly asks of your body as well as your mind. I had started running about 2 weeks prior to the race with no pain, and that was not nearly enough to get me through the race. Plus, I wasn't having any fun!
Onward. Since the race, I've gotten back to running for fun. The rest of December was about running for fun. I already knew I was out of shape so I stopped being frustrated about where I was fitness-wise and just enjoyed being outside and running again without injury. January, so far, has been about ramping up mileage and getting back to the mountains. I've had several solid runs in the 3-6 hour range and while I am a bit sore afterward, I know that will go away the more I do it. I am enjoying being up and moving quickly on the trail again.
In other news, I was sent a pair of Hoka One One shoes to try out.
At first glance, they look like platform shoes from the 70's. Really really strange looking. Running in them took me a little bit to get used to, but they're starting to grow on me. They have this whole 'rocker' thing going on with the outsole that sort of propels your foot motion forward soon after foot strike. They also only have a 4 mm drop between the heel and toe, which I'm a huge fan of. I haven't been in them that long so I can't go too in depth with how I feel about them, but initial impressions are good.
Hopefully, I'll be posting more regularly.....?
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