INSPIRATION

Where does inspiration start? I’ve been thinking about that for a while in regards to my running. I don’t depend upon motivation as that comes and goes as quickly as a politician’s promise. And it’s just as fickle. I tend to depend more on habit and try to court that. I pack my lunch the night before work, and I pack my running bag before I got to bed, so when I leave for the office in the a.m. my lunch is ready and so is my running gear. Those little things make it easier to just run, instead of thinking about it.

 

 

But inspiration? Here’s my favorite example: 

On my drive to the office I see a female runner who runs the bike path every morning. I don’t know who she is or even what she looks like other than she looks like a runner. And she is out there every day. She inspires me to do the same. She is unaware of the impact she has on me when she laces up and heads out on the trail. I feel like I let her down if I don’t run that day.

 

My wife also inspires me to run. Not by poking and joking with me, but when she hits the pool every other day to swim her 3000 yards. I cannot imagine what it takes to do that. I tried swimming for a while but I thought I was going to drown each lap I set off from one end of the pool to the other. Her commitment drives me to action.

 

Heck even my dogs inspire me. All you have to do is think “walk”, and they are at the door. Doesn’t matter if it’s raining hard enough to float an ark or it’s cold enough to freeze their paws to the pavement. They don’t care, they are anxious to get started.

 

I read running books and blogs and those also get me thinking about my next runs. When I travel I hit up the app, ALL TRAILS and look at the areas I’ll be visiting to find some off the mainstream trails or parks, so I have something to look forward to at the end of the day.

 

And I am inspired by my friends who are on their own running journeys. Their facebook posts make me smile, and make me want to run along with them. I know we are all running for our own reasons. And that’s okay. We are running alone, together.

 

And finally in a strange sort of way, goals are inspirational, if not aspirational. For two years I have been planning to run the Canyon de Chelly Ultra 50K. It was cancelled last year and because of that I went into a deep funk. But now, it is serving to inspire me to get back at it. I want to respect the distance. Respect the native Navaho people who still inhabit the canyon. And I want to respect the craft of running.

 

So be disciplined in your own running, but be open to the inspirations that are right there in front of you. Chase them down, and use them to be a stronger, better and happier runner. It works for me!

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, 

I AM A RUNNER

 

A year ago I was a person who ran. 

 

Now 18 months and 1200 miles later, I am a runner. 

 

This is not an epiphany. It is a transformation. Every step I took, every run I completed was part of a change that was forged in those runs. It’s been a transformation of my body, but even more of my mind.

 

I spent the first four months of 2019 nursing my wife through a right hip replacement followed by hip revision surgery number two on her left hip. I also traveled for work on a much reduced schedule which left little time for me. I gained weight: I ate like a teenager, drank like a rock star, and was, not surprisingly, a physiological and psychological mess.

 

As she returned to health and fitness, she began to glance at me with that not-quite-so-tender look only a long-time wife and partner can. I could quickly tell it was time to do something before she used those two, now perfect, hips of hers to walk out the door. So, in early May, I began walking more and trail hiking once or twice a week. On those walks and hikes, I occasionally tossed in a little run or two. I began to eat more nutritious foods and cut back on the alcohol. Needless to say I began to drop some pounds, and those walks and hikes became more runs than walks.

 

I quickly settled into a historically familiar pattern. I’ve used running (inconsistently) over the years as a route to better health, but it always worked out that just when I got better and faster, I would suffer an injury of some sort that would sideline me for weeks or more. Because of that history, and of course my advancing age (64 years old at the time) I was consciously progressing very slowly: not upping my distance after being able to knock out 2-3 slow miles at a time. I was cautious of injury, and I was still heavy.

 

Then, I saw a reference to an interesting book about running slower to go faster, so I picked up “80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower” by Matt Fitzgerald. I can say it changed my running life.  Or perhaps more accurately, it gave me a running life. The basic thrust is that most recreational runners run too fast on their slow runs and too slow on their fast runs to make significant, long term progress. We quickly improve, but just as quickly plateau, performing each run in the same way as the last.

 

So with this new approach I did 80 percent of my runs at a very slow pace. Think about a fast walk transitioning to a run: That’s how slow I needed to go. You should be able to run at this pace and have an almost normal conversation with your running partner. Or recite the pledge of allegiance without having to take deep breaths. If you can only recite a short sentence before having to take a deep breath, you are going too fast.

 

I committed to this way of running starting in June, going through November. By the end of 2019 I had logged 445 running miles with no injuries, no setbacks. And my pace improved. I could easily run 8-to-10 miles without a break or feeling like I had just run a marathon. I even stopped riding my bike through this period because I was committed to keeping my heart rate low. I usually ran between 15 and 20 miles a week and a couple of months I ran more than 70 miles. Even while traveling. On a quick 4-day trip to Germany I managed to squeeze in two 5 mile runs along the Mosel River in Trier, before heading home.

 

 

 

This was the wonderful path along the Mosel River near Trier, Germany with perfect weather.

 

Now I recently celebrated my first running anniversary, and so far I have logged more than 1,100 miles since I started. I’ve also dropped 30 pounds. I’m proud of what I have accomplished so far and looking forward to the next year.

 

Of course, this has all been running solo. And with the lock down that started in mid-March because of the Corona Virus, all of my goal races were cancelled, the Encinitas ½ Marathon and the Black Star Canyon 9K trail and the Canyon de Chelly 50K Ultra races were postponed. So, running alone looks to be the norm for a while.

 

 

Cleveland's Lake to Lake Trail

On a recent business trip to the Cleveland, OH area, I left my hotel for an early morning run. I was expecting to catch a section of the Valley Parkway trail that runs from Rocky River to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But before I had gone a half mile I came across a nicely marked paved trail/riding path, called the Lake to Lake Trail connecting lake Isaac and Lake Abram. It was 2.44 miles between them so that give me just about a 5-mile round trip with a bit of cool down as I walked back to my hotel.

In my travels I seem to find a lot of these kinds of pathways in and around the cities I visit. This particular little trail wandered away from traffic except for a short bit where it crossed a busy street, so even though I was just a few miles from the Cleveland airport, I felt I was out in the sticks.  It passed over creeks and bogs and at each point there were information signs and bridges, each unique and interesting with observation points and signs. A cemetery from about 1812 in one location. A ancient glacial “Pothole” or “Kettle Lake” formed in what is now Lake Abram. It is the result of an enormous block of ice left when the last glacier left more than 12,000 years ago.

 

Once again, I was thrilled to find a place unexpected right out my door. I went looking for a known running path and discovered a quiet place filled with wonder and peace. It served as a 5-mile wakeup run to remember that no matter how busy, or weary I might be from my travels, it’s always better to get up and get out. You never know what adventure awaits.

 

TY PARK IN FT. LAUDERDALE

On a recent business trip to south Florida, I managed to schedule a bit of extra time between calls. So as I usually do when I travel, I looked for a place to get in a run. Near my hotel was the TY Park (none of the locals could tell me how to pronounce Topeekeegee Yugnee) with a paved path that circled a small lake. It was a perfect 2-mile loop complete with mileage markers with inspirational messages. It also had fitness activities along the path for doing push-ups and pull-ups, and there was even a covered outdoor gym. Lots of people use this park with walkers, runners and cyclists all circulating under the many oaks that shaded most of the trail.

I managed to visit this park three times, logging runs of four, two and six miles. It was a real treat to find this in the heart of such a large metropolitan area. When I return I'll be sure to book a hotel near here just to sneak in a run to two.

CRASHES AND INJURIES

Up until just a couple of weeks ago, I had not had a real crash on my Mtn bike since the fall of 1993. Then I had just built my first real Mtn bike. It was based on the then new Specialized metal matrix aluminum frame and all Shimano XTR group and a Manitou fork. Sweet.

On the first ride, less than 20 yards from the parking lot I slipped into a rain rut and endoed, flipping over the bars landing in a dried briar patch. I jumped up unhurt and continued my ride on my now broken-in bicycle.

Fast forward 24 years and I’m still riding. Throughout the summer as my off-road fitness has returned I’ve picked up my pace. And I’ve noticed my downhill speeds have increased. I should have taken that observation as warning sign, instead of patting myself on the back. On a late afternoon ride down a steep rocky section on my local trails I thought for a second that I could shoot across a slippery rock face and avoid the sharp boulders lurking below in the rutted trail.

It didn’t work.

I ended up losing the front end, dropping into the rocks, and went over the bars, landing on my left arm, shoulder before rolling onto my back. The bike then landed on me. I jumped up, took an inventory and felt surprisingly good. So I rode the trail to the bottom and began to climb my way out of the canyon back to my car. I noticed it was difficult to breathe. I had bruised my ribs, and it took nearly four weeks before I felt fine again.

Then just a month or so later, I fell while trail running in Ohio. Same scenario with bruised ribs and sore shoulder. Another three weeks of recovery.

So have I learned anything from these two recent events? Maybe. I know even a minor crash or fall hurts more than it did years ago, and recovery takes longer. I also know I should not ride or run alone, but I still do. I have a hard time giving up this solitary exercise.

I’ve also learned that when that voice in your head says you are awesome because you are riding so much better, slow down immediately!

And when you have committed to becoming more fit, more disciplined in your life, don't’ give up and don’t let the injury rob you of your gains. Take time to heal, but find other ways to keep going. If I could run, I could certainly hike fast in challenging terrain. If I have to stay off my Mtn bike for a while, my road bike got a better workout.

I took it easy for a week after each fall, and once I could take deep breaths resumed a consistent schedule of running and biking.

This also proved to be rather encouraging time for me. It showed me I missed being outside running and riding. It made me realize how much this has become an essential part of my daily requirements, like eating and drinking.

And because I’ve had to suspend my off-road cycling fix by more trail running, I’ve been toying with the idea of enter a 5k or 10k off road race later in the year. Who knows where this may lead. I have no desire to participate in a mountain bike race, but a competitive run is starting to interest me.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER RECREATIONAL AREA: BATTLE CREEK, MI

Just a short post to say that Bike Friday is a pretty good ride on gravel roads and twin track roads.

Who knew?

A ride through the G.A. Custer Recreational Area in Battle Creek Michigan  on the paved roads was not enough, so I rode down  a few of the gravel roads and double track trails. This is not an off road bike by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not limited by the end of the pavement.

HELLO BIKE FRIDAY!

I am much more of a cyclist than I am a runner. Because I try to stay fit when I travel,  running is often the most accessible activity. Until now!

Say hello to my Bike Friday.

First, I love bicycles. Even more so riding them. Road bikes and mtn. bikes made from titanium and carbon fiber, steel framed beach cruisers and even retro euro travel bikes. Two wheels and pedals just make me smile.

But checking a bike packed in a normal cycle travel case on airplanes is cost prohibitive, even for a Delta Diamond Million Mile flyer like me.  Then last spring my wife reminded me of the Bike Friday line of foldable bicycles. Before the idea had a chance to evaporate, I had mine on order. A candy apple red Pocket Rocket with flat bars and disc brakes. And a build date of May 17.

It arrived in its own Samsonite suite case. I can check it as luggage, no $75 each way charge. I put it together in less than 20 minutes and when Steve and Dave, two biking friends from Utah showed up of the weekend we went for a ride. Our inaugural ride was a 22-mile round trip with a tough climb at the half way point. On the ride out the bike was fine, but it didn’t take long to find out it does not like to climb. It goes up, but you have to whip it. Going down hill, I reached 38.8 mph before the small wheels, and short wheelbase conspired for some twitchiness.

This is what a Bike Friday looks like packed.

Next up was a week-long trip to the mid west. We sailed through the initial bag check (tsa took a look, but did not unpack it). On my first night I pulled the bike out of the case and had it set up in 15 minutes. The next morning left my hotel at 6:00 a.m. and got in a beautiful 16 mile ride through the hilly, forested area west of Bloomington, Indiana. This is why it made the trip: To provide two-wheeled freedom from tiny, smelly hotel "gyms."

All in all, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

THE ACCIDENTAL RUNNER

Someone said to me, “It seems like you get a lot of joy out of running,” and I had to laugh. Then I took a moment to think about this. After all, I get sore knees, feet and awfully winded. Still, when I gave this a little more thought, I came up with a response that kind of surprised me.

I am an accidental runner who manages to get joy out of what running gives me. And that’s made all the difference.

Let me explain.

A typical hotel "gym"

When I travel, I hate the hotel "gyms." They are usually small with a treadmill, or creeky stationary bike of some sort. And they all have the same rubbery smell. So, when I arrive in a new town or area, I relish the first time I click the map app on my iPad and look for parks, or river trails or just large open areas. I get a jolt when I can spot a small state park or national monument nearby, because those locales tend to have a network of trails. Even most cities now have bike trails or running paths that you can see on the satellite views.

I’ll call up local trails on the All Trails app, or I'll often ask at the hotel front desk and if hard pressed I’ll check local running clubs, but I prefer to find places on my own. It’s that excitement of the unexpected. That’s one of the key parts of what I look for and what gets me excited in a new area.

Here’s a simple example.

I was staying in a relatively new hotel just off the north/east runways at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport (DFW). All new buildings, condos and shopping malls had been recently constructed almost beneath the flight paths. I had a couple of free hours and when I looked out my window I saw the new little Colinas Crossing lake encircled with a paved path that then disappeared into a new condominium complex to the north.

I switched into my running gear and headed out to see where that path went.

After the warm up around the east side of the lake I followed the path back northward. It tore through the condos then narrowed and disappeared into a wooded area. I was amazed when I looked up through the live Oak canopy, I could see freeways. I was running along the Elm Fork of the Trinity River beneath the LBJ Freeway. I was only a mile or so from the airport but I felt like I was miles from civilization.

Then my path ended at a long-abandoned park complete with camp sites, and tennis courts. The native grasses were reclaiming this family area that had been cut off by the freeways. You could tell it was once a fantastic park on the banks of the river in a little gully. Had I been able to keep going, I would have found The Sam Houston Trail Park was just ahead and across the river. I was also struck that hundreds of thousands of people drove over this park every year and didn’t even know it was there. I was also aware of how lucky I was to have seen and to have traveled through this little slice of forgotten history.

Now back to that joy thing for a moment.

It is a three-part condition for me. Part one is anticipation. Part two is the actual running. And part three is the post run appreciation.

So, part two. The actual running. I know a lot of people talk about a running high, but I don’t get it. Mostly I get gasping, headaches, sore knees, tired feet and burning lungs. Sometimes small children will pass me and say sweet things like, “don’t worry mister, it will be okay.” I love kids. Then again, every once in a while, or often in the middle of a run, my body clicks in, arms/legs working in harmony, and I feel like a runner. It usually doesn’t last long. But I do have a will to finish what I started whether it’s a 3-mile jog or a run to a destination and back.

Recently after work I had only 30 minutes to squeeze in a workout so at the local park I marked out a 100-yard course to try something new for me: wind sprints. I did 10 of them. I sprinted as fast as I could then walked back to the beginning letting my heart rate drop to 110bpm before sprinting again. It was an amazing physical sensation to feel the difference from running as fast as I could to a 12-mph pace distance run. I felt like Carl Lewis, though probably looked more like Forrest Gump. Great workout.

The Downside?

I was sore for 4 days and couldn’t work out. My hamstrings were killing me. I loved the work out, but it sure took a lot out of me.

So I like to think of myself as a runner, but I’m not sure I can wear that mantle when I don’t actually like doing it all that much at the time.

I do love having completed a run. Back in the hotel room, or back at home, I feel great about myself. I love the physical sensations in my body after a run. I especially like plugging in my Garmin and seeing the results of my activity. Though I am often disappointed in my performance.

So I guess, yes, I do experience that joy of running. It comes from everything about it. Finding the unexpected, seeing and experiencing something or someplace new. How it makes me feel physically. And for the appreciation I have post run for being able to participate in life at a deeper level than I would have had I stayed in my room, called room service and watched yet one more episode of American Pickers.

MORAINE HILLS STATE PARK

 












This week while on a trip in the Mid-West, Wisconsin and Illinois, I had a couple of hours before sunset to get over jet lag. I discovered I was only a few miles from Moraine Hills State Park, near McHenry, IL. 

 
It turned out to be a small but lovely wetlands park with groomed gravel trails and really artistic informational signs. Only about 40 minutes from the heart of Chicago. 

A nice—albeit slow—run through one section of the park blew out the cobwebs in my head, and contributed to a wonderful night’s sleep. I’d go out of my way to run there again.

STRATEGIES FOR STAYING FIT AND WELL FED ON THE ROAD

I don’t remember every town I’ve ever visited, but lately I am trying to. It’s because as Ferris Bueller said long ago: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Especially if you are a business traveler as I am.

I usually cover 150,000 air miles a year (domestic), and it’s not unusual for me to be in hotels 120-150 nights each year. There are some weeks I am in five hotels in five days. So I have had to come up with a way to find the time to explore the areas I am in and to make them memorable. To me, after the business, traveling comes down to food and fitness. Yeah, the people are usually pretty interesting, but I am mostly a solitary adventurer.

The easiest thing to do is to eat at the hotel when possible and to work out in the hotel gym.  Believe me, there have been more than a few nights when those were my only options. And I put on the weight as proof. But there is a better, though more challenging choice, and when I have made it, it’s made all the difference.

On week-long business trips, it seems you are eating every meal from or in a restaurant. I’ve taken to seeking out Farm-to-Table restaurants for dinners when I can. They usually have a broader menu with fresh offerings. And the chefs seem to take more care/pride in the meals. And from cities such as Grand Rapids, MI to Murfreesboro, TN, heck even Daytona Beach FL, you can find some great culinary gems. I remember a particularly tasty roasted brussels sprouts dish at Bistro Bella Vita in Grand Rapids. It was a wow!

The second part is the fitness, and when I look back over the last five years, I see the times, when I have escaped the hotel gym for a spirited walk or run that I have found so many great locations or slices of history. Places that stick in my memory in ways that another night in a nameless Hampton Inn will never do. I’ll share just a couple of the more memorable runs first, then the dinners. A couple happened at the same nightly stop!

I was in PA, for a conference and staying in King of Prussia.  After hanging out in my room working on a web site and editing product videos for two days, I was going stir crazy. So, about 11:00 a.m. I opened my curtains and  looked out on a cold, cloudy spring morning. I forced myself to slip into running gear thinking I could not remain in my room for another minute. I looked at the satellite image on google maps and saw a large open area about ½ mile away with what looked like paths through it. I headed out, crossed a busy, narrow road and looked up to see a sign at the entrance to Valley Forge National monument. It took a moment for that to sink in. I had no idea I was near this historic spot.

I cannot fully express what I felt as I ran along the south ridge. I had to stop and read the monuments as I went. It was cold enough to make me want to keep running, but reading about the travails of those soldiers and militia men experienced in that cold winter I appreciated the clothing I had put on.  I felt it was such an honor to be in that place at that time. Had I not struck out on that run I never would have learned as much as I did that morning, and I never would have come to appreciate how important it is to take some time for yourself, move out of your comfort zone and be open to what’s around you. It was far from the fastest run I have ever taken, but there are few that I can think of that have meant more to me.

THE NATIONAL ROAD

Part 48 of You Never Know What’s Right Outside Your Door:

As I checked into my hotel in Frostburg, Maryland, a few weeks back, I asked the desk clerk about the local bike trail as a running destination. 

“It’s great,” he said. “Just go down two lights, take a left then a right at the Fat Boy’s Pizza. You can’t miss it.” He made it sound like it was just a short walk away.

I should have known better.

I headed out down a busy two-lane highway with no shoulder. A mile later--all downhill-- I turned left then ½ mile later I took the right, went down 98 stairs and hit the trail head, a steep switch-backed section which had these wonderful sculptures at each turn.

Then I learned I was about to run on the National Road. Google it. It was our first national highway, built in 1811. I headed down the tree covered road open only to bikers, hikers, runners and horse riders. It eventually became part of Highway 40, then alternate 40. What a pleasant discovery at the end of the day. Though I was planning a 3-mile run, it turned into a 6-mile run/fast walk.

Or when it came to those 98 stairs back up, a slow walk.