URL of my New Blog

As I close this chapter I decided to begin my next one. My latest attempt at my next blog is at:

www.adventureswithjacpot.blogspot.com

Epilogue - 8 Weeks Later

Waking up at 2 a.m. Monday morning the day after the race, I was unable to put any weight on my ankle. A moment of inspiration hit me that it might have been a good idea to ice a sore ankle after a 100 mile race.... duh, you think? After taking off work that Monday, I spent the next 2 weeks on crutches.

Not much definition in my right ankle!

As time moves on, I remember all the good times and the bad times now seem like good times. I continue to be thankful for the challenging moments and find strength in them. Although my ankle has no swelling I have a little soreness in the mornings and I am still not back to running. I hope to start again in January, 2008. As far as my statement to Cindy an hour after the race, which was something like, "I will never do this again". I am not quite so sure, but will see where my feet (or perhaps ankles) take me.

AC 100 Race Report

This weekend I felt truly blessed to be able to run in the 2007 Angeles Crest 100 mile run.
The day started with the alarm going off at 2:30 A.M. Cindy and I departed our home in Palmdale in order to arrive in the mountains for a 4:00 A.M. check in and a race start at 5:00 A.M.
My largest concern for the day was my lingering ankle problems, but I knew I had to put that worry aside and let the day unfold as it would.

0-25 miles

The start of the race heads up the main street of Wrightwood and then an eye opening climb of 2150 feet for the first 3.5 miles. If you weren't awake... you are now. While us middle pack runners were making it to the top of the mountain the sun was just cresting over the horizon. Just when one could not ask for much else.... the Brady Bunch song "It's a Sunshine Day" just happens to be the next song on my IPOD.

I think I'll go for a walk outside now

the summer sun's callin my name

(I hear ya now)

I just can't stay inside all day

I gotta get out get me some of those rays

everybody's smilin
sunshine day

everybody's laughin

sunshine day

everybody seems so happy today

its a sunshine day

For the record I would like to declare that I do not personally own a Brady Bunch CD, rather it was graciously loaned to me by the White family.

These first 25 miles fly by and I can't say anything more that wasn't already said by Greg, Marsha, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy.

26-50 miles

I'm beginning to worry at about mile 26. Everything is going almost too well, and I am way ahead of the pace I set for myself. Even though I have never done a 100 mile run before, I do know that it is a recipe for failure to go out too fast. I wasn't supposed to see Cindy until mile 52, but she saw my pace on the Internet and made the hour long trip to Eagle's Roost (mile 29) to tell me to SLOW DOWN!!!

-----------------------------------------------Photos by Christina Hennesy

I continued to plug along and by the time I was around 50 miles I was thrilled to know my ankle was doing well, my legs felt good, and mentally I was having a blast. Could this possibly continue on the second half??? The question would soon be answered with a resounding NO!!!

Heading out of Three Points (mile 42) aid station ---------------->

Mile 51-75

Mile 59 was a special surprise to see the Mitchells, Myers, Dan, Christina, Cindy and Teresa all there to cheer me on. Just as the sun was beginning to set and at Shortcut Saddle Aid Station I kept my fears to myself about my ankle. I knew it was beginning to hurt and I still had over 40 miles to go. It appeared the "Sunshine Day" song playing in my ears the first half of the run was going away. I was still in high spirits after leaving all the cheers and excitement at Shortcut and was making nice progress until about mile 64. A combination of tired legs, sleepiness, hurt ankle, and the climb up to Newcomb's Saddle were putting my finish into question. Taking a 30 minute rest at Newcomb's Aid Station and drinking some chicken broth and four cokes did the trick. I was rejuvenated and on my way to Chantry Flats (mile 75).

75-100

I think I had the best two cups of coffee of my life at Chantry. I was feeling good and ready to get going on the last 25 miles of this journey. Anytime after mile 52 a pacer may join a runner so good friend, Teresa, would be coming along on this last leg. There is not much to report on this section. For the most part I was in no mood to talk and Teresa was the perfect pacer seeing how she is a "professional" talker. Eventually she learned that I wasn't going to respond much, and therefore she chose topics that didn't need a response. I gained some life after Sam Merrill aid station (mile 89), not sure whether it was the ginger candy or the sun rising over the mountains, but we were on the home stretch.

At approximately 9:24 A.M. Sunday morning we crossed the finish line, with loud cheers from the Hursts, Whites, and Cindy. I felt a day full of reflections about family, friends, and God. If I learned anything, it's that even with some dark times, it truly was a Sunshine Day.

Below is a video taken by Cindy off and on throughout the day, special thanks to Dan & Christina for all the added support and Barbara and Jim Medlin for watching our new puppy Jac so Cindy could be with me on the course.

AND if possible, please consider supporting Ryan's Troopers (click here) in their pursuit to end juvenile diabetes.

Report in the next couple of days

Thanks for all the good wishes and support.

Report coming soon. If you didn't see the Live Data Results at AC100.com I did finish with a time of 28 hours 24 minutes.

If you would to view hundreds of pictures from the race a very supportive Christina and Dan helped crew and took many pictures. Pictures of the race can be viewed here, and pictures of the awards ceremony can be viewed here.

Last Preparations

Dear Friends and Family,

This will be my 2nd to last post. My final post being my report after my first attempt at a 100 mile run (finish or not) through the Angeles Crests Forest on September 15th and 16th.

After about 2 years of preparation for this race, I have only a few days before it starts. Without a doubt it has been more about the journey rather than the destination. A few people have asked me if I will continue to pursue 100 mile runs. I have no answer. If I have learned anything over the years running or not, it is that it is hard to predict what is around the corner. For now, I will stand in the dark at the starting line in Wrightwood at 5:00 in the morning on Saturday (9/15/07) and play out this hand.

My goal is to finish in 31 hours, which means I will arrive at Johnson Field in Pasadena by Noon Sunday. I certainly won't be disappointed if I finish sooner and avoid the heat of the second day. The race has cutoff times I must meet or else I will be dropped from the race. If I am going much slower than my goal times, I am probably in danger of being dropped as the overall time allowed is 33 hours.

Also, it is my hope to add something positive along with this experience. My cousin Ryan (really cousin Sharen's son Ryan... is that 2nd Cousin???) has juvenille diabetes. Since being an infant he has had to endure the constant pricking to check blood sugar levels and shots sporadically day and night. The family continues to walk in fund raisers by the JDRF to help find a cure for juvenille diabetes. I would like to help out in my own way by asking all of my friends and family to consider donating some money to JDRF in Ryan's name for every mile that I run. Whether you donate 1 cent a mile or 1 dollar a mile, the donation will be greatly appreciated. If you know me personally, I hope I am worth at least 2 cents a mile. :-)
You can donate (it's tax deductable) at Ryan's Troopers walk for Juvenile Diabetes.
If you know someone that needs a tax deduction for a worthy cause, or maybe they owe you a favor, please email them this web address and hopefully they will help contribute.


The race starts on Saturday, September 15th from Wrightwood, CA. If you have a few minutes on Saturday throughout the day you can see if I am still hanging in their by going to http://www.ac100.com/ and clicking on a link that will say something like, "Live Data 2007" , hopefully it will be easy to find my name. If you have trouble, I probably won't be able to help, since I will be in the middle of the San Gabriel Forest climbing some hill wondering why the heck did I enter this race???

Anticipated Aid Station times to compare with the Live Data.

Mile - Aid Station - Estimated Check in Time
9.3 - Inspiration Point - 7:14 a.m.
13.85 - Vincent Gap - 8:06 a.m.
25.91 - Islip Saddle - 11:04 a.m.
29.05 - Kratka Ridge - I don't think they post times here
29.98 - Eagle's Roost - 12.11 p.m.
37.54 - Cloudburst Summit - 2:11 p.m.
38.37 - Pajarito - no post?
40.4 - Glenwood - no post?
42.72 - Three Points - 3:20 p.m.
49.08 - Mt. Hillyer - 4:53 p.m.
52.8 - Chilao - 6:09 p.m.
59.3 - Shortcut Saddle - 7:58 p.m.
67.95 - Newcomb's Saddle - 10:47 p.m.
74.55 - Chantry Flats - 2:13 a.m. (DAY TWO!!!)
83.75 - Idlehour - 6:13 a.m.
89.25 - Sam Merrill Trail - 8:34 a.m.
95.83 - Millard Campground - 10:35 a.m.
100.53 - Johnson's Field (Finish) - 11:54 a.m.

Yours Truly,

Chris Jensen

About a Week to Go

The Orthopedic Doctor believes the ankle is from overuse and did not seem too worried. Beyond trying some orthotic insoles and Aleve, there is not much else I can do.

My mileage has been quite low in order to rest my ankle the last couple of weeks which makes me more nervous about finishing. Hopefully my mileage this summer get me through the race. I have gotten in a couple of hikes and runs in the mountains with Cindy and Teresa (pacer for last 25 miles) but other than that things have been a little slow.

Since there has not been very much running I have had plenty of time to hang out with our new puppy Jac, see below.

Napping

Getting ready to learn how to swim

Jac likes his toys

Jennie stops by to visit

85 down 15 to go - Hanging in There

After my disappointing drop from the Mt. Disappointment run a couple of weeks ago. I haven't been pushing myself very hard, but have gotten in a couple of good quality runs.

On August 19th I ran 24 miles by Baden Powel (9000+ ft.) to Vincent Gap and then back with about 15 other runners at an AC Training Run. On the way there a group of us were delayed on Highway 2 because a motorcycle rider had gone down and had to be airlifted out. We didn't know it at the time, but it was Gary Hiliard, the race director for the Mt. Disappointment 50. After being in critical care for quite awhile and losing his spleen and I believe a kidney I understand he is doing better, possibly due to his good health through ultra running and tireless hours working on maintaining trails. Best wishes to a successful recovery.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to run with a few guys last Friday night on the last 40 miles of the Angeles Crest 100. We started our run about 6:30 p.m. and arrived at our finishing point in Pasadena about 7:30 the next morning. It was great to see the trail and enjoyed doing my first all night run. My lack of full time running due to my ankle was obvious and I certainly struggled the most of the four of us. I learned many things about night running as well as what the last 40 miles of the AC100 was like, well at least what the trail is like in the dard. What I learned the most is that if I ever do anything like this again I need to be sure to bring caffeine!!!!!!! I ran with Jay Anderson (an outstanding runner and leader of the group), Barefoot Ted (a guy that leaves you in awe watching him run for 40 miles at night, running part way barefoot and the other part in his five fingers or almost barefoot, and I hope he doesn't mind I snagged the picture below off his website) and Robert Schipsi (thanks to him I was able to tag along otherwise I wouldn't have known about the run, not to mention after watching him run, he should do very well on his first 100 miler coming up in 15 days).

Photo by Barefoot Ted

As far as my ankle goes, I continue to rest it plenty disappointed that I am not out on the trails. After an x-ray and then a CT scan, the dr. called to inform me that I needed to see an orthopedic. Apparently the CT scan showed "bone fragments", not sure exactly what that means, but I have an appointment for this next Wednesday... yikes.

67 Down 33 To Go - Mt Disappintment 50k

For me Mt. Disappointment was a big DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!!

The event was terrific and the volunteers were wonderful. To get right to the point somewhere around mile 8 my ankle (same ankle that has been hurting off and on since April) begin giving me troubles. At about mile 15 it was hurting too much so I began walking and arrived at the 20 mile aid station hot and depressed. Cindy was waiting there for me to cheer me on, instead I had to make the decision to drop from the race in hopes of lessening the damage and still keep my hopes alive for the AC100.

I went and had my ankle X-rayed but the dr. felt it would not help and she was right... the results showed nothing. I will be making an appointment for a CT scan this week that may or may not show something.

57 Down 43 To Go - JULY Part 1

The month of July was a good month for running bad for blogging.

The month of July started off with a trip to Eric and Cherie's place in Oxnard near the beach along with mom and dad and Cherie's mom and dad. We rode kayaks (picture of Eric and dad) in the canals literally right in their backyard. Sometimes we took the boat (Eric and Cherie) for dinner and other times just for a sunset cruise. We saw a great fireworks show on the fourth right from their deck.


The first day I ran down the beach to Ventura and after about 7 miles stripped off the Ipod, shoes and shirt and went for a swim in the ocean along with a little body surfing.

I learned a valuable lesson... it is important to put socks and running shoes back on the feet without getting wet sand in them. The run home was more difficult and involved frequent stops trying to leave the sand where it belonged. The next days run I brought a camera to get some self portraits and a picture of a shark that had washed up on the beach. Since Cherie didn't believe I had seen a shark, I was determined to get a picture on my run the next morning. After searching for it I realized a fisherman had moved it and had already begun disecting it for some "Ceviche" as he informed me. The visit was great and got in some good running miles... July was looking good... we're off to our cabin in Cold Springs in the mountains the next day.

57 down 43 to go - July Part II

There's too much too say about our 3 weeks in Cold Springs. In short, our group we call the Cold Springs Running Club spent many days running around the lake in the mornings and occasionally through the hills of our community. Often times I would run to the lake and meet them there and then run home as a good way to keep my mileage up. One morning Cindy drove me to Kennedy Meadows (a 45 minute drive) and dropped me off with basically water, map, and granola bars. I ran back through the Stanislaus National Forest. The run was approximately 27 miles and the first 20 miles I only saw two back backers that gave me a look of "who is this crazy fool running through the middle of the forest".








We took day trips to Calaveras Big Trees, Bodie, and enjoyed the laid back lifestyle of the mountains. Good friends visited, but we needed to get back by the end of the month to finish out July with a boating trip to Laughlin.

Calaveras Big Trees

Jennie Keeping Us Fed

Bodie Ghost Town

The view just before taking off from Kennedy Meadows

57 Down 43 To Go Part III

We were back for just a few days and then we were off to Laughlin. The "fun" started before we reached our destination. Just outside of Needles (30 minutes from our destination) our tire blew out. No problem I will put on the spare. 15 minutes after getting the spare on and lowering the jack, we learned that the spare was flat... it seemed low, but I guess I didn't realize how low. After calling AAA and learning it was going to be 2 hours in the 110 degree hot sun on the side of the highway we thought we would make a few calls to let our friends know we were going to be a little late. Not much longer Mat and Shelly drove by with an astonished look on their faces but due to traffic they weren't able to pull over for about 1/4 mile. No problem, I put on my running shoes and Shelly a 1/4 mile away did the same... we met half way and had a nice chat on the side of the highway. Not much after we met in the middle of nowheresville, Bill and Susan were passing by at 60 mph. We learned later at dinner that night that just before Susan recognized who it was she was announcing in the car, "What num-nuts would be out on the highway in the middle of nowere?!" They also stopped but I told Shelly that there was nothing they could do, and both cars should go on. About 15 minutes later Juan and Shelly (another Shelly) drove by and I saw that same look that I had just seen on Susan's face earlier. Good thing I had my running shoes on, after a quick chat they were on their way. We didn't think anyone else was coming by so we found some good rocks to sit on and had a picnic in the 110 degree weather, and got out the cards to play gin rummy. You know your lucky when you have a wife that is happy having a picnic and playing cards in the desert at 110 degrees on the side of the highway in Nowheresville.

Flat tire in Nowheresville

Cindy at our picnic

Cindy is lucky the tow truck arrived when it did, I was just about to beat her at Gin.

Yes, we finally made it to the lake and had a great couple of days!

21 Down 79 To Go

When Cindy and I got up this morning at 5 A.M. I started wondering WHY again......

This morning we headed up to Wrightwood (about an hour drive) for me to run part of the AC course. When we got near to our destination we drove down Route 2 to see how far we could make it by car, as Dan and Christina had warned me that the road had been closed for quite a while due to landslides. They were correct and we could only get as far as Vincent Gap, about half the distance I wanted to run . Instead of driving back to Wrightwood we decided to send me on my way and I would run the trail backwards back to the starting point of the AC in Wrightwood (about a 13 mile run) with one place along the way where Cindy could meet me at Inspiration Point to refill my water.

<---- Ready to head up the trail from Vincent Gap. (sorry mom... still have the beard)

The run to Inspiration Point went great and my estimated time I gave Cindy was 1.5 hrs. but I was there in 1 hour. Cindy was not there yet, I later learned some mountain bikers and hikers had come through and she stayed and chatted.

The next section had some good climbs and eventually I arrived at the top of Moutain High Ski Resort, and to my surprise the Pacific Crest Trail wound through a few of the ski slopes. Again the run was going smoothly, but according to my crude map I needed to spot Acorn Trail that took a 90 degree turn off the Pacific Crest Trail and headed down to Wrightwood. I didn't know if there would be a sign and when I saw a trail heading down the hill to the left I figured there was a 50/50 chance, I decided to take it. After traversing the hill steeply for about a mile and seeing the trail come to an end, I realized this one of those times in life where I picked the wrong 50. The hike back up to the trail put me behind my 10:00 arrival time in Wrightwood, but I knew Cindy had a good book and would find a nice cup of coffee in town. After another half mile I was pleased to see a big sign that said "Acorn Trail" and this time I was smart enough to pick the correct "50".

After a couple miles of downhill switchbacks I found Cindy drinking her coffee on an outdoor table in Wrightwood reading her book just as I pictured... I was only 30 minutes off my estimate. After a quick change of clothes, we went next door and had breakfast at a quaint small restaurant and while I was eating my omelette and drinking my coffee after a great run in the beautiful mountains, the WHY question was answered again.

10 Down 90 To Go - A Lull

After some nice fresh air in the mountains and some good runs around Pinecrest Lake in the mornings I have hit a lull. I don't know if it is the heat of Palmdale or my ankle pain that won't go away but I have been taking it easy. I think I will take it easy from posting for a little while as well... I had originally planned on posting every day during the 100 days, that didn't work out (both running and writing currently).

As much as it hurts mentally, I am going to try and rest my ankle for a while and get it as close as possible to 100% before running again.

4 Down 96 To Go - Why Do I Run?

Today's Mileage = 3 miles

I am on my way to the mountains for 4 days. I look forward to running around Pinecrest Lake (about 4.5 miles) in the fresh morning air as the sun rises and all the campers are asleep.

There are many reasons why I run and some of them are stronger than others on any given day. The paragraph above is often one of the major reasons why I run. Other times it is the feeling of being in better shape, watching the sun rise, feeling less guilty about eating that extra bowl of ice cream (I had three helpings last night), getting to feel the endorphins kick in when you least expect it, or sometimes it's just plain fun.

According to the August 2006 Runner's World (p. 48), "University of Michigan researchers found that women who work out to lose weight are less committed to exercise than those who do it for social benefits, stress reduction, or enjoyment of the activity". Since I run solo 99% of the time I probably don't do it for the social benefits, but the other two definitely fit.

I would not recommend running to someone trying to lose weight, rather I would recommend running to someone that wants to enjoy the fresh air and great feeling of getting a good workout at the same time. It just so happens that weight loss is a repercussion... as long as we stay away from that 3rd bowl of ice cream.

3 Down 97 To Go - Crewing

Today's Mileage = 8 miles. Put Electrolyte drink in my bottle instead of water. I seemed to feel more refreshed.

Since I have never run a 100 mile race before I have never had a crew before with the exception of Cindy being at an aid station along the way with supplies. I never have felt much of a need for the supplies since races are very good about food and water at aid stations. To my surprise the mental boost of seeing her has been very important.

At the moment my crew for the AC100 is Cindy and Teresa and I believe one or both (at different times) will be a pacer for me... I'll save "Pacers" for another post.

At this moment I am beginning to come up with what I will want different from the usual food at the aid stations that my crew will have for me.

Injinji socks - I get few to no blisters with these socks
Ensure - The drink gives plenty of calories and works well in my system. Some posts suggest 50% calories from food and 50% from liquid over the duration of the race. Some runners swear by only liquid... I don't think that is for the slow poke like me though.
Cliff Blocs - I prefer these over gels.
Also, Sunscreen, Heed, chapstick, shirt, mole skin... I am sure the list will grow...

Of course the crew will need good maps if they are not familiar with the course and Christina and Dan have informed me of a road closure... when they read this perhaps they can give me more specific details where the closure is at since I can't seem to find out much about it on the Internet.

2 Down 98 To Go - Hydration

Today's Run = 13 miles. (hills)

Most runners would probably agree hydration is the single most important thing to maintain in a race. Of course in a 100 mile race nutrition may be equally important and certainly more complex. These posts merely brush the basics and as I learn more I will update them and add links to more knowlegable information. Back to the topic of Hydration...

Staying hydrated is fairly simple drink plenty of water in a race, just not too much.
Too much intake of water can cause hypnatremia where one becomes too diluted with water and therefore the sodium levels drop, a good reason races have pretzels at their aid stations. Of Course too little water causes dehydration.

I have been fortunate to have always run in races with a good accompaniment of aid stations. Sometimes I carry my Nathan pack with two bottles and other times I carry my hand held bottle. Through trial and error I have found that as much as I crave Gatorade on a long race, it does not work well in my system and gives me cramps. The different electrolyte drinks that contain sucrose, fructose, and other sugars have to digest through the kidneys and make your already tired system work harder. I don't know if this is the scientific answer to my problems, I just know I don't like pains in my side. The last race I ran I only added a Heed mix that contains maltodextrin to my water and my system felt much better. This runners post has a good write up about the stuff. As I understand maltodextrin it is processed synthetically from a derivative of corn and rather than having to go through the kidneys it is absorbed directly into your system.

I don't know if the above is correct, I just know that my system felt better sticking to Heed and staying away from Gatorade in the last race. Unfortuately my legs hurt just as much, but I will work on that in the weeks to come, as well as continue to experiment with hydration. Gels work basically the same way and contain maltodextrin, I just find drinking a sugary water much more pleasurable than trying to choke down a gooey substance.

Also tried Nuun tablets put in my running bottle. Very convenient for electrolytes and my stomach seems to handle them well.

1 Down 99 To Go - The Journey

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
-Lao Tse

I began running in June of 2005. I am not sure exactly what the date was I just remember it was some time in the middle of the month and it was the same day I quit my job that I had done for the last 10 years. At that time I was about 30 pounds overweight and not quite able to run one mile. I also don't remember when I wanted to run a 100 mile run, but even though I was not very familiar with 100's it became more and more clear as "The Journey" began.

My training over the last 2 years has been inconsistent. I have run for 20 straight days but also due to injuries (knee, broken toe, ankle) have gone as much as 60 straight days without running. My hope for the next 100 days is to maximize mileage, and keep excuses and injuries to a minimum. I hope to cross train with biking and swimming as well. If my ankle is flaring up I will put in more mileage on the bike. Although I will do most of my running in the early morning hours and evening I will also run in the heat of the day to keep the body used to the heat I will experience at the AC 100.

There are many great sites like Stan Jensen's (no relation) run100s site with great info about runs and training. On my posts my training will speak for itself as I am not mapping anything specific out, rather I am looking forward to being creative in my training on this journey. Below is my first attempt at putting video on my blog from youtube, I don't know if I will use his method, but I like how this guy thinks.
My mom once gave me a shirt that says, "Those who wander are not necessarily lost". I am thankful my mom understands me.

Let the JOURNEY begin!

0 Down 100 To Go - Intro

Today is the Day I begin the countdown.

In the next 100 days I will research, train, and prepare for running the Angeles Crest 100 miler. I may edit/change various posts due to suggestions or later reflections so comments will be greatly appreciated. I am hopeful someone out there will find my journey helpful, interesting, or entertaining.

At the very least I hope to have searched within myself and come out a better prepared runner and perhaps person.

Chris

Goldilocks Runs Shadow of the Giants 50k

I realize I am putting myself out there, especially after I take enough ribbing from all of my "manly" buddies due to the fact I am a regular watcher of Oprah. Now I'm taking it to another level by calling myself Goldilocks... I hope none of those "manly" guys read this blog. I will get back to the part about Goldilocks in a little while.

Friday I departed from Palmdale for Fresno to stay the night with my parents. I grew up in Fresno and lived there until I was 18, my mom likes to say, if she knew I wasn't coming back when I went away to college she never would have let me leave.

Cindy was unable to come with me since she stayed home to dog sit a friend's dog.

<-------Daisy (our guest for the weekend)

Our friend helped us out many many times by watching our dogs (before they went to doggy heaven) when we went away and weren't able to take the dogs with us, and Cindy was happy to help repay the favor.

Ben and Maxine ----->

The run was in Fish Camp just below the entrance to Yosemite. I was out the door by 5:30 and arrived at Fish Camp just after 6:30 only to get a little lost trying to find the place. How anyone gets lost in a town with a population of 12 is beyond me, but I have some special abilities. My parents were going to arrive around noon in order to see me cross the finish line. I had the impression that my mom expected me to be crawling across the finish line gasping for air after 31 miles and I hoped I would be able to change that perception.

The reason Goldilocks came to mind was because I have run in 50k's that seemed too flat, and I have run in 50k's that seemed to steep, but like the bowl of porridge, this difficulty seemed just right. The course had plenty of climbs but most of the time it was a nice gradual ascent. There were still quad pounding descents and steep hills near the end that kept you plenty humble so that you would not forget that Papa Bear was still in charge.

Shadow of the Giants is a perfect name for the run as the giant sequoias are constantly protecting you from the sun. The volunteers at the aid stations were awesome, and Baz the race director was never without an ecouraging word. Near the end I thought the race would go on forever, and my time seemed a little too long for such nice day. I heard rumors after the race that the course is more like 33 miles than 31 and whether or not this is true, I am sticking with the 33 mile distance in my head.

It was nice to see my parents had driven up, and my mom was right on top of her job to snap a picture as I finished; after I crossed the line she was worried she missed the shot so she had me circle around and cross again... didn't she know I had just run 33 miles?

As always I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to run in such a beautiful place on a beautiful day. What a pleasure to have my parents there with me and then we went out for a lunch in the nearby town of Oakhust. I'm just glad I was able to get up from crawling on the ground and gasping for air just before getting to the finish line. :-)

The Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost

This weekend I'm attending a family reunion in Fresno, and I headed out this morning on a 20 mile run along a new (new to me) bike trail along the San Juaquin River. I noticed a nice dirt trail leaving the asphalt so I decided to give it a try. After about a half mile the trail got smaller and smaller and smaller until there was no trail. I was determined to plod along hoping to be rewarded by my persistence with a nice meandering trail. The trail never came to fruition but the reward was the beautiful wildlife. Five deer, a bobcat and numerous birds all around. Yes, the road less traveled has a lot of rewards.... and, also a lot of stickers that get caught in your shoes and socks.

Trot, Smile, and Wave

Have you ever stopped at an intersection, crosswalk, or parking lot for a person to make their way across wherever they are crossing? It's what we should do when we are in our cars... stop for pedestrians. It gets a little annoying when someone is crossing where they shouldn't but you still wait and let them cross. With all the bad rap drivers get, in general I think most are pretty polite. For some odd reason I seem to be bothered by the unwritten rules out there; such as, why is it pedestrians seem to think it is okay to walk at a snails pace when a car is waiting? Have you heard the riddle? Why did the human cross the road? Answer: To take a long time getting to the other side.


Cindy and I live by the philosophy that when a car has stopped for us, we pick up the pace to a trot, flash a friendly smile and a wave of the hand, not only does it create better kharma, but burns a few more calories. We are not the only ones... other people do this and I am always aware and appreciative of these actions. Within those few seconds I always think, "that is someone I would like as my friend". Don't you think this world would be a better place if everyone always did at least one of the three (trot, smile, or wave) whenever they crossed the road?

Coyote Ugly.... Not

Running on the trails this evening I came over the top of a hill and was face to face with a coyote. What a great moment. For a split second the coyote and I were one, and I entered into a Vision Quest in which we could read each others thoughts. No, not really but it was pretty cool. Where is my camera when I need it?

Trail Work and Training Run For AC100

The weekend started at 7:00 A.M. in a parking lot at Hahamongna Park in Pasadena. Unfortunately I forgot the camera at home. From there we carpooled up to a section of the AC100 in the San Gabriel Mountains to work on improving a section of the Pacific Crest Trail. Still no camera. I enjoyed hearing about the eclectic backgrounds of a dozen or so people that had come to spend the day helping work on the trail, and fulfiling their 8 hours of trail work that is required to participate in the AC100. Still no camera. Not much else to say, hiking down a steep hill with heavy tools for 3 miles, stopping now and then working in the hot sun, pounding and scraping dirt is not a lot of fun. Only to hike back up the 3 miles carrying the same heavy tools. The day ended about 10 hours later at 5:00. My hat goes off to the guys that are regulars on this work.

The next day (Sunday) started at 7:00 as well. A couple dozen runners met at the Visitor Center at Chilao Flats and carpooled up to Islip Saddle for a 27 mile run along the AC course.

It wasn't a big surprise to me that I forgot my camera again, but fortunately there are people out there much smarter than myself. In this case a big thank you to Christina H. for ALL the pictures and helping at all the aid stations along with Hal Winton, one of the AC100 Race Directors.

--- Hal giving a pre-run briefing ------------>

Just before departing for 27 miles -------->

I was fortunate enough to run with Dan (married to the smart lady Christina) who was much more familiar with the AC trail.

Dan and I around mile 23 ------------>

Another guy that ran along with us part of the way was Barefoot Ted. Ted belongs to the ideology of running barefoot (or as close as possible) is much better for the body than man's oppressive shoes. Today he was running in a new sandal that he had made himself.

<------Imagine running 27 miles over rocks, dirt, etc. in these

Full shot of Barefoot Ted ----------------------->

After looking through Christina's pictures she had posted online I decided I needed a name like Ted has, and the best I could come up with was "Sitting Chris". I realized whenever I arrive at Aid Stations I immediately had a seat, and probably would never get up if it weren't for "Slavedriver Dan" getting me going.

<------------- Sitting Chris

Sitting Chris -->

Sitting Chris ------->

<--------Chris (only guy sitting)

What a great day in a beautiful place....

--------What's this????? -----Chris Standing?----------->

Are 2 PB&J's Better than 1?

Every day at work I eat the same thing.... one Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. I have noticed that every day I come home from work, rather than head out the door and go for a run (something I was planning on do a few hours earlier) I am hungry and therefore get something to eat and sit down and watch Oprah. This begins the vicious cycle of getting tired, which results in a nap, and if I'm lucky I eventually get out for a run much later than expected, followed by not getting as good of sleep at night.

Today, I decided I had it all figured out... the secret is to eat Two Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches! Therefore, I won't be hungry when I get home resulting in an energized run and renewed vigor. You'll never believe what happened ... having two sandwiches for lunch, I was just as hungry, but, instead of watching Oprah, I watched Ellen. I can't wait for tomorrow, I'm going to see what happens when I eat three PB&J's.

Slow Ride

It's great when pieces of a puzzle can come together.

My wonderful and beautiful wife Cindy had surgery yesterday, and a growth was removed. Everything went well, the tumor was benign and by 1:00 she was resting in her hospital bed. We passed the time talking about how well the surgery went, and all the things we were going to do this summer. Traveling to San Diego, Palm Springs, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, "the cabin", Bodie (ghost town), Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Arnold, etc. To have a growth removed in a hospital and actualy call it a good day is a very good thing. Now, I don't know if these are the exact sentiments of Cindy, seeing as she is the one operated on, but I would like to think she would at least partially agree.

This morning I didn't get up until 6:00 and I was feeling quite sluggish. Moving around slowly I got the newpaper and had a snack with my coffee. Since visiting hours aren't until 10:00, I knew I needed to get in a run no matter how sluggish I was feeling. Jogging out the driveway my legs were tired and stiff, moving slowly up the streets to get to the aqueduct. As I jogged along my mind was flooded with all the positive things to be thankful for... the successful surgery, all the travel plans, a day off of work :-), the sunrise, getting to see Cindy in a few hours, etc. Again, it's amazing when things start to come together. Running has done that for me, not only have I lost some weight, but I eat more healthy, think more positively, and make fewer excuses. Back to the run... just as great things are merging together in my mind it happened; "Slow Ride", by Foghat comes on my IPOD playing in my ears. My legs were energized, my mind was running on all cylinders, and all was right in the world. By the time I got to the top of Bunny Hill I had a new P.R. at 29:10 beating my best time by about 20 seconds.

Life's a big puzzle, and I hope I never feel like all the pieces come together otherwise slow or fast it wouldn't be much of a RIDE.

Mind of a Goldfish

Studies have shown that exercise helps the mind think more creatively and solve problems due to better blood flow in the brain. Tonights run is a perfect example, as I ran along the trails thinking about ideas to post on my blog the thoughts came pouring in to my consciousness far more rapidly than my 43 year old legs up Bunny Hill. The problem is all the things I think about are forgotten by the time I return. They say a goldfish can only remember for 3 seconds, I am pleased to say that is a myth, so it gives me hope that if a goldfish can remember longer than 3 seconds perhaps I can aspire to my bowl living friend.

I am trying to organize thoughts for my 100 days. Starting June 7th, when I plan on posting a new topic every day that will me help organize and prepare ideas for my run in September, and perhaps give some insight to others that may wish to try a similar endeavor.

Before continuing... a big thanks to my buddy Jeffo for leaving a comment the other day. Only time will tell if he ever checks back again. Perhaps one day I will have readers that number in the double digits, but for now I am thrilled to have peaked at two.

Here are a few ideas for some of my 100 posts when I start one a day June 7th. If anyone ever comes across this and has some suggestions for a short topic, I would appreciate hearing them.

*Drop Bags - Are they more hassle than they're worth
*Shoes - Can't live with 'em can't live without 'em
*Band Aids - Also known as your nipples best friend.
*Feet Protection - The smelly truth
*Poison Oak - Your friend and Mine
*Men in Tights - Why your non-running friends might get the wrong impression


Jeff, hopefully one of these days we can bike/hike/jog up Bunny Hill together . I'll leave the tights at home.

Parent Ratings

Recently I received an email from my mom (hi mom!) letting me know she enjoyed reading my blog. But, hearing about all of my injuries (i.e. broken toe, poison oak, swollen ankle, etc.) was difficult to take. I started wondering if I should post a rating system just like the movies do. The ironic thing that I am writing about my mom in the third person is, I think she is the only one that reads my blog. If someone is reading this and you didn't give birth to me leave a comment, I'd like to know you're out there.


How does this rating sound.


G = Content is GOOD, happy and pleasant.

PG = Content has POSSIBLE GIMPINESS like somethings broken, swollen, etc.

R = All parents RESTRICTED from reading. I may we writing about thinking of moving to Nepal, or a career change to become an Ultimate Fighter.


Todays rating G.

My day started at 4 a.m. I knew I would be going for a run today, but was not sure when. Sometimes I wake up early on a weekend and I am too impatient to fall back asleep, rather I am ready for this great day to start ASAP. The wind was howling a little but the moon was full with an eerie ring around it and that was all the motivation I needed. I strapped on my head light and before heading out the door by 4:30 a.m. I decided to take a self portrait before I left. Cindy is in Morro Bay on a girl weekend so I had to use the self timer on the camera. Don't worry I wouldn't have been foolishness enough to wake her up even if she had been here.





I took my favorite route up Bunny Hill on the backside of the California Aqueduct up the fire roads and single track trails. It is amazing how well one can see with no light except for a full moon and a head lamp. The air is so fresh and everything is at peace, although the cotton tailed bunnies (no relation to why they call it Bunny Hill... see earlier post) would disagree as they scurry to avoid this strange alien with a light on the top of his head.



After 7 or 8 miles I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise as I ran along the ridges of the Antelope Valley. I love sunsets just as much as anyone, but the freshness of a sunrise is difficult to beat, especially when you are out for a run.





By 7 a.m. I was done with a Double Bunny (up and over and then looping back around to traverse Bunny Hill one more time on my way back) and ready to start my day. The only downside was I had hoped to tack on a few more than the 13 miles I had run, but my swollen ankle was giving me trouble the last few miles. Uh oh, perhaps this post should have been rated P.G.

The Point of No Return

Barring a serious injury, there is no looking back. I have started putting together ideas for my plan of recording a training idea for each of the 100 days (which starts June 7th) leading up to my race in September at the AC100.

After completing my 50 mile qualifier and sending in my check, the only thing I have to do is fulfill my 8 hour trail maintenance service and run, run, and run.

I normally do not keep an accurate count of my weekly mileage, but I plan to start. If anyone who wants to run their first 100 mile race ever reads my 100 day countdown I want them to see what my weekly mileage is like in order to maintain a comparison. I ran for the first time yesterday evening for 8 miles (since my ankle injury at Leona) so I figure it is as good a time as any to start keeping track. Along with my ankle about healed, my poison oak is also healing up as well (I may not have mentioned that earlier).

The results were posted yesterday on the Leona Divide site and I came in 54th out of 137 finishers, with a time of 10:01:17. Although I had hoped to do better I think it is more of a motivator and will give me a little more push. I don't know if other middle of the pack runners like myself do this, but I was comparing times from people that ran in Leona and last year's AC100 to get a comparison of my time and proportional amount. Although the data I entered is minimal, I still think the results are interesting.

Data I Entered from Leona ('97) and AC100 ('96)

------Leona / AC100
KH 7:57:10 / 20:35:49
GM 7:35:22 / 21:05:25
BP 7:26:52 / 23:32:13
RM 9:57:23 / 25:14:47
DO 11:56:02 / 26:27:18
LC 10:29:53 / 28:20:51
AK 9:25:46 / 30:19:37
XW 11:14:05 / 31:03:45
LD 11:08:49 / 32:27:25
CJ 10:01:17 ----- ? ----

Running a Linear Regression (this is a mathematical estimate see line in graph above) the linear equation comes out to be y = 1.93x + 7.6 which projects me to have a time of 26:54. (it's what math teachers do for fun) . I have heard that a good estimate is to multiply your 50 mile time by 2.7 and that is a good estimate of your 100 mile time. Although variables of difficulty would definitely be a factor, it turns out that my estimate of 26:54 is pretty close to right on the 2.7 times mark.

This is in itself a motivator to me, since I perceive ultra running to be competition within myself and I now have a time I am racing to beat.

Grocery Shopping: A Microcosm of Society?

I am trying to make every post related to running in some way, so it begs the question... how does grocery shopping relate to running? Hopefully I will eventually get to some form of relationship.

When I go shopping there seems to be various characteristics which make me wonder if it contains a microcosm of society. To begin with, I may be the only one with this first issue as a pet peeve but personally I feel it a sign of something with deeper seeded meaning.

1) Grocery Carts - why can't they get delivered back to their designated corral in the parking lot or where they belong in the store? Many reasons I am sure would be given such as: I have kids with me. I am in a hurry. That's what they pay the employees to do, and so on. First, if you have kids, what a great lesson to teach them, to return things to their proper place. Make a game out it, etc. If you are in a hurry fine, then by the looks of some parking lots there sure are a lot of people in a hurry ( I say with sarcasm). Finally, maybe it is what they are paid to do, but we also pay police to catch the bad guys and that doesn't make it okay to rob a bank. We pay fireman to put out fires but it is still not okay to be an Arsonist. I realize I am going a little overboard... just trying to do my best to make a minor point that I don't appreciate having the parking lot be a littering ground for carts, and don't think just because you pop the wheels up on the curb it is okay.

2) Clickers that honk the horn when the door lock is pressed- When did it become okay to honk a horn when someone was walking right by the car? Again, I am sure

there are many good arguments like setting the alarm, and making sure the car is locked etc. I don't feel like explaining this one since I am probably in the minority here. I just know that many times I am startled by a honking horn (rude, rude, rude) and I don't believe the means justify the end. If you feel it is so important to honk your horn than at least have the courtesy to park you car far away... more on that later.

3) Paper or Plastic - Which is better paper or plastic. Answer is neither, Oprah last week said the same thing on her show which I already knew. To read some good ideas to think about go here and click through the 17 different topics. We are a dysfunctional society if we cannot inconvenience ourselves a little to make this world a little better. If you don't use reusable bags, hopefully you do other things and one day may work towards more ideas like reducing the amount of paper and plastic used. Cindy and I have been using the same bags for about a dozen years. They hold more, they don't break, and they do not use up our renewable sources.

It is estimated "12 million barrels of oil are required to make the 100 billion [?] plastic shopping bags Americans go through annually" and for the paper bags it is estimated "14 million trees were cut to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans" did you read the 14 million trees part?. I am not perfect... only trying to evolve. I have always pulled the plastic bags off the spindles in the produce section but realize now that is just as bad. I recently ordered more bags including reusable ones for produce at ecobags.com. We do not compost (and we should), our vehicles only get between 20 and 30 mpg, etc., etc., etc. But, pressure to keep evolving needs to be put on the human race and I fear society is heading backwards.

4) The need to park as close as possible to the entrance - This is where I get back to the topic of running. To try and counterbalance this issue, I park at the entrance to the parking lot about a quarter mile from the entrance (not always). Grab my reusable bags, and jog to the store. I have saved gas not driving a quarter mile further and driving around in stop and go traffic looking for a parking spot, if I want to honk my horn it will not disturb anyone, and I can drop off my cart at the entrance since my bags can carry plenty. All this and I get a little excercise carrying bags to and from the store. Ted Corbitt, an Ultrarunner would often jog to the subway each morning for some exercise and once overheard a guy say, "Man, that cats always late to work every morning". It's all about perception.

Does the grocery store really mirror as a microcosm of society?... probably not. But we do have an obesity problem, we are becoming less polite (a personal opininon), and we are the biggest polluters on the planet. Oh well, I'm guessing these problems aren't going away any time soon, but if you see some weirdo jogging across the parking lot from a far away parked car, please wait for me to go by before you lock your car. Beep Beep :-)