Gooseberries and Thunder

Gooseberry Mesa Trail lies a few miles west of Zion National Park. It is a fabulous combination of the grippy fun of Moab's Slick Rock and the fun, tight twists and drops of rock and packed trail through bristlecone pine and sage that is found in the opening miles in Lower Porcupine Rim Trail.

In other words: it is a total blast!

Gooseberry has many trails of which South and North Rim are the principles with many others spidering on and off these routes. South Rim starts off rather non-technical--a warm up for a more challenging back half that winds up at the scenic "Point". Slick rock riders will appreciate the ability to ride angles and slopes that aren't do-able on any other kind of surface but Gooseberry is far gentler in the length and technicality of climbs. It's just pure fun without the need for a third lung or muscle doping for those extended all out climbs that turn thighs into jello.

I had a few hours mainly to myself to enjoy these rides. I loved the fast, twisty, but tight trails that dumped you into more slick rock. There were a few riders out on the trail including a group down from Idaho and an older rider from Denver who has made the pilgrimage before. All of this was at a about 5000' elevation with maybe a 100" total elevation gain over the 12+ miles I rode. The views of Zion were an ever present awesome backdrop during the ride.

A few days later, I got in a ride that was incredible and breathtaking in its uniqueness and beauty. It was like a ride one might have seen in a Western with breathtaking vistas of Red Canyon and it's brilliant red hoodoos and canyons. In fact, the Cassidy trail is alleged to be the route of Butch Cassidy. My trip was to tackle Thunder Mountain's 7.9 miles of epic canyoneering and downhill riding.


I dropped the car at the trail head at 7600' and then took a paved bike path up 5 miles to the turn in along an ATV route. The trail head was 2.1 miles further up at Coyote Hollow at 7800'. From there the trail provided some nice windy cuts through the rolling mesa and hollers before reaching Thunder Mountain at 8200'. Throughout the entire ride keeping and eye on the trail was a challenge given the sweeping views around. Some unmelted ice and snow made it more technical and kept speeds slower than desired. On a dry track, the undulating single track to Thunder Mountain would have been a great sprint and drift.

Reaching the top at 10.5 miles in, what lay below was an incredible view of hoodoos and canyons which the trail would soon drop down and through. The next 5 miles were an incredible experience! Tight turns and switchbacks followed by fast and twisty drops between towering hoodoo or along the crest of ridgelines that fell at a 70 degree pitch on either side. At times, I wasn't sure if I was totally frightened or completely in heaven. Thunder Mountain gives you no chance to think about either for long. Between trying to catch glimpses of fabulous views and finding the best line, it is a visceral ride of pleasure and challenge.

The last 2 miles were one delightful thread of fast downhill and swoopy turns and whoopdedoos that were a constant thrill. I don't think I turned the crank once!

At the bottom, I reached the car with 15.7miles on the odometer. Time was the only thing that kept me from doing a double on this trail.

And here it is in living color:



At the top and starting the descent:





And on the ridgeline:

The big descent:

Wrap-up:

ETSS: Prevention and Recovery

Sure! you think it'll never happen to you, but I'm here to say that emergency trail-side shits (ETSS) can happen and you may be next.

Some early warning signs of ETSS:

• The nagging question of should I "go" before I run turns into thoughts of "perhaps I should have gone before."
• Several knocks at the rear door so to speak
• Any run after a high fiber meal

How do you know you're in an ETSS situation?

• All you can think about is answering that knock at the door.
• You're on a part of the trail that has lots of other runners
• You're wondering if running cross-legged is possible
• And, finally, you could care less if you were in Times Square this issue is NOW!

Here are some of my recommendations when ETSS hits:

• Find a discrete part of the trail from which it's unlikely you'll be seen
• Screw it! That bush will do just fine!!
• Should you be "discovered", I suggest a friendly wave. Since most people on the trail rarely look at you, let alone wave you should be okay. Should they be looking at you, I'm sure they'll be so distracted by your friendliness that they aren't likely to notice your running shorts around your ankles.
• Spend a few relaxing moments, wondering what the motorists on the highway that overlooks your trail must be thinking. And when you might hear "an interesting -I swear this is true" anecdote at a party. Should ETSS last that long, consider your defense of "that poor runner" without raising suspicions.
  
• Look for a creek, puddle, or rain drop that might provide some "sanitary benefit" post ETSS. Try not to notice what's in that creek, puddle, etc.
• Repeat 50 times: "I will not run before visiting the mayor."

Spring Break for It

Spring is springing. And I'm running. And biking.

Last Friday, I put in two back-to-back 27 mile rides with a commute to and from work. It was a bitch of a ride with T-Rex hauling me out in the high 160's on the ride into work and one shitty northwest headwind beating me up on the ride back.

Earlier in the week, the madman family vacationed in Parajo Dunes near Watsonville, CA. This gave me the opportunity for some beach running as a means of some insight into this fall's Lost Coast Trail run. Ok, maybe I'm a 10%er but beach running is just boring. It's mile after mile of white noise and monotonous landscape. I mean occasionally there is the "Dude that was a narly wave!," but my limit is somewhere around 100 crying seagulls or 250 hopping willets. Maybe this doesn't bode well for the Coast Trail run, but I do think the scenery is a little more interesting and the challenge a little greater than a beach jog.

Summer vacation plans

Week 9 of the new year's training plan. I finished this peak week in my 6 week cycle feeling very good. Despite a cold that severely reduced training for week's 7 and 8, I was still able to ramp up to log 9 hours with a combination of road, trail, and home gym while biking and running for a combined 87.2 miles. I had a blast with last Sunday's 12 mile trail run on a beautiful CA spring day, put in a real hammer of a road ride up Calavaras Road and back on Wednesday, another gorgeous ride through the Livermore wine country while dodging showers on Friday, and even felt good enough to squeeze in an extra short run due to short falls in planned riding times. Runs included not only endurance pace distant runs, but also, a zone 3 run, a fartleig run, and a 10k race pace run--all for a total of 27.4 running miles.

I'm going into this upcoming week is a rest week with only 6:30 of training time and 63 miles anticipated feeling very good about my training level and progress.

So I'm on track as I prepare for this season's upcoming activities:
- 22K trail race in April
- metric century in June
- century in July
- 12 hour adventure race in July
- 12 hour adventure race in Sep
- 24 hour adventure race in Sep
- 25mile trail run on the Lost Coast in Oct

It's that last item though that I'll devote another entry towards, as it has captured a lot of interest by new "team mates".

If it's February, it must mean rain

Rain. Lots of it.

Wind. The howling kind. They type that rocks you back on your heels.

The latest storm punched into California just in time for Sunday's 12 mile ridge run. I launched out of the house for a 12 mile loop heading south into the teeth of 28 mph winds and sheets of rain.

Dude! What were you thinking?!

I loved it. There's nothing like witnessing Mother Nature acting out like running in a storm. Witnessing such power and strength is both humbling and exciting.

The rain and wind were cold and my legs were a nice cherry red as I waded southwards into the teeth of the squall line. 3 miles of flat warm-ups later, I joined the trailhead and headed up the 1500' climb to the ridge line. Two other intrepid runners were descending and we exchanged friendly greetings and comments on the "beautiful weather". Sheets of rain pelted me as I climbed the trail, now a constant flowing gutter of rain water and mud. Footing was decent for the most part. At mile 5, I topped out on the ridge line and the southerly gusts helped push me along. The ragged cloud bases whipped mere feet over my head and the scrub oaks showed the shiny silver green undersides as large branches yielded and shook to the gusts of wind.

In a few deep ravines where the trail cut through, it became calm and quiet as the steep green hills acted as wind blocks. Silent and still, rain-soaked cows would track my progress with barely a turn of their heads. Even they must of thought me mad.

By mile 8, the trail turned downhill, the rain's stopped and even the wind moderated. Descending down the east facing hills, the valley of my town lay wet and quiet below me. No other runners or hikers were out; I was the lone looney.

By mile 10, I could shed my raincoat although showers threatened around me. Finishing up 2 miles later, I was a wet but happy runner.

Wild Kingdom

"While Jim attempts to capture the rare Siberian tiger by grabbing his tail, I'll polish off my 3rd martini...."

So, Marlin Perkins must be happy for me this week. I've experienced more interesting wild life episodes in the last 3 jaunts than I can recall.

Last week, I came across two adult deer and a yearling. Not unusual. However, usually they hightail it before I get too close. Not so this time. I was almost on them before they turned and darted to my left (eastward) off the trail. Then, 50 yards south of them I saw --perhaps--the reason they had dallied. Two coyote appeared on the trail, darted back to the brush, then back again as I continued my run towards them. They too seem to delay their departure until I was almost 50 yards from them. They chose to go west. A little research revealed why I saw what I did:

"Food habit studies reveal that its principle diet is composed of mice, rabbits, ground squirrels, other small rodents, insects, even reptiles, and fruits and berries of wild plants.

The coyote is an opportunistic predator that uses a variety of hunting techniques to catch small mammals likes rabbits and squirrels, which comprise the bulk of its diet. Although it hunts alone to catch small prey, it may join with others in hunting larger mammals like young deer or a pony."

Then on my long run on Sunday, I came across 3 coyote, 25 yards from the trail, running 3 abreast across a field. It was a fascinating experience. Clearly they were hunting.

The week before, a real first: a herd of 25+ elk at sunrise on a hill just 100 yards from the road I was cycling upon.

So, while Jim chases the coyotes, I'll be joining Marlin for a beer.

Running with purpose

Some run for fun. Some run for strength. Some run to live.

Rain

Crap. Rain. Nothing but rain. Just rain. And it's cold.

So, I got that going for me.

60 minutes on the trainer. Man, that's boring.

Ugh. Rain.

It sucks. Unless I'm running, of course- then it's cool.

Toys and training

Behold the power of toys!

The Forerunner 305, a Christmas gift, has created a whole new insight into my training activities. It's also provided me with a new way to kill hours planning and analyzing. But, man I love this toy! The Forerunner has a heart rate monitor and 12 channel GPS. I've used it now for road and mountain biking rides, as well as, daily training and weekend trail runs. This thing is unbelievably accurate. Too acurate, in fact. I'm slightly depressed at the new "true" running pace which is about 15 secs slower than I had always thought I was running. Damn ground truth!!!!

The above is the track from my 9.02 mile trail run in Sunol park this weekend. Here's all the intimate detail. Dang it's cool! Dang, I've got some training to do!!

Summary Data
Total Time (h:m:s) 1:46:37 11:43 pace
Moving Time (h:m:s) 1:43:48 11:24 pace
Distance (mi ) 9.09
Moving Speed (mph) 5.3 avg. 11.4 max.
Elevation Gain (ft) +2,895 / -2,892

Avg. Heart Rate 143 bpm Zone 3.5

Temperature (°F) 46.4°F avg. 48.2°F high
Wind Speed ( mph) SE 5.2 avg. SE 9.2 max.

GPS Signal Quality Fair MB Gravity Web Service

Where the Hell have you been?

It's a dull gray and rain-soaked day in the Bay area. Perfect for a run. I logged an hour running in a light rain and under the dawn's cloud leadened sky. At a casual pace, I ran and explored a few new detours along my usual route. One lead to a local ranchers house, who just happened to be out shooting at wild turkey's. I decided to explore elsewhere.

December has been a rough month. Between a nasty cold and some other bug I picked up after Thanksgiving, this has been a pretty work-out free month. Maybe that's not a bad thing as I need some built in rest time to recoup and recover from last season. My 4 day mountain biking trip to Moab pretty much tore me up and I suspect I was slightly over-training before it. My workouts, both running and riding, subsequently were done on wooden legs with little of the power I'm used to or rely upon. In short, November pretty much sucked except for the week before Thanksgiving. I got some awesome trail runs in up along the Pacific Crest Trail out of Graeagle and Gold Lakes before the ebola-like illness kicked in.

But today, I felt for the first time, like I was back. It was a great feeling.