Michael: Bushwacking

The warmth of the sun
Is given in a moment
That should be cherished.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Today will be the first time Kimme and I will set out on a hike knowing we’re going to bushwhack. We have gone off on animal trails before that petered out into nothingness, but then we either doubled back or aimed in a direction to get us back on trail. Today we’ll be carving out a trail.

Well, we won’t. Two guys that our group hired to wield machetes will. We’ll just follow behind them like everybody else as they try to cut a path up a ridge to the peak we’re aiming for. Believe me, no one, myself included, wants to rely on either my compass or machete skills, though at least I haven’t cut anybody with a compass yet.

For someone who’s use to picking up his feet and moving along at a good clip, sometimes logging in multiple 30+ mile days, taking a journey where I may literally come to a crawl for hours should prove interesting. We’re about to find out.

Michael: Almost Closed

The gravel screeching
Crow of  the rooster makes it
A vulgar song bird.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Friday, Christmas or not, is tempo run day. That means going through town  which gave us a chance to see if Volcan is an old fashioned Christmas town where everything shuts down for the holiday. Almost.

One business we were we happy to see operating were the buses. That meant we didn’t have to walk the two miles into town. But outside of the buses, Romero’s; the large grocery store downtown, a few Chinese stores and various small restaurants, the place was pretty much as closed and empty as we’ve ever seen it. And that’s just as it should be. Not that I believe it’s sacrilegious to operate on a holiday, but it’s nice to have a day where every one can stay home and be with there family.

And because almost everything was shut down it meant I wasn’t able to go to a panaderia for a coffee and treat, which is pretty much one of the few almost religious like rituals I perform. Today, hopefully, they’ll once again be open for business.

Michael: Baby Jesus is Under Attack

Sunset’s golden glow
From behind the amorphous
Shaped clouds is lovely.

Friday, December 25, 2015

The past two months during the holiday season this is the way it’s gone; Dia de la Muerte; flowers, Independence from Columbia - marching bands and parade, Independence from Spain - marching bands and parade, Mother’s Day; flowers.

So on Christmas Eve what happens? At midnight poor Santa/baby Jesus is given the shock and awe treatment. For a good half an hour a barrage of fireworks rained down like it was the Fourth of July and New Year’s rolled into one.

I’m not sure what to expect when Easter rolls around, but if I were a bunny I’d start working on digging a deeper bunker right after I recover from last night’s concussion bomb attack.

Michael: A Festivus Miracle

The afternoon rain
Was background for the brittle
Thunder and bird calls.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

On our way back from our morning run yesterday we noticed a downed power line draped across our neighbor’s fence. Turns out it was our phone line. A dairy truck or falling branch must have snagged it. I figured that meant instead of making an inexpensive long call home on Christmas, I’d be making a very short expensive cell call home. And who knows when our net would be restored and how it would work. Right now it blinks out occasionally, but all we have to do is take the phone off the hook for a minute to bring it back.

We called our landlord and she immediately called the cable and wireless company. Then it started to rain pretty steadily and I figured that was that; no service until next week. But late in the afternoon she called and said the repairman was on his way. And it’s a Festivus miracle! Our phone and internet are back up with the same old trick of taking the phone off the hook  when it blinks out.

Now we should be able to relax and enjoy a long conversation with our families back in the states and unwind to some Christmas movie on the net instead of watching Columbo solve the same murder for the billionth time.

Michael: Go Bernie!

The coastal landscape
Of Panama is a green,
Hot, humid sweat box.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

This year will be my first Christmas outside of the U.S., next year will be my first presidential election outside of the U.S. That gives me a year to figure out how to vote from Panama.

Following politics from here really hasn’t been much different than following sports from here. I’m not watching the games, but I can glance the headlines and read up on anything that interests me. If I were in the states, I’m sure I’d watch a few games on T.V. just like I’d watch the debates on T.V.

But I’m going to try and make a better effort of keeping up next year if Bernie Sanders can stay competitive. Forget about Trump. His brand of demonizing the ‘other’ as the cause for U.S. woes has a long history. And anything he does I can catch up on from either Colbert or the Daily Show.  But Sanders, an avowed Democratic Socialist, polling at 30%, that’s worth getting more educated about.

I won’t pay for the NFL network even if my old team, the Vikings, make it all the way to the Super Bowl. But I’ve got to figure out how to get better political coverage from here. The Vikes winning the big one would be a nice excuse to jump up and down, But Bernie winning would be an historic event without precedent in U.S. politics.

Michael: A Christmas Without Shopping

The air is dead still
This morning with just a touch
Of a quiet chill

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

All of my holiday shopping this year was done in about 10 minutes on-line. Those were purchases of gift cards that were sent to my mom who will put them in cards and bring them to the family gathering on Christmas for me.
So this may be the first year that I do not touch anything whatsoever that has anything to do with Christmas.

We are going to the Price Smart in David today and there we may get a taste of some of the Christmas frenzy that we were accustomed to in the states. We’ll see. And if we see something our landlord would like, I may end up even wrapping a present this year after all. Volcan has no department stores so there are no special Christmas shopping events here or changes in store shopping hours.

My sister is sending me a package containing a few items of clothing that Kimme and I purchased as our Christmas presents for each other. She’s added a few Christmas surprises, so shortly after Christmas I will get to open a surprise present or two, which will be kind of fun, particularly if they’re dark and edible.

Kimme and I didn’t buy a Christmas tree but people do buy and decorate Christmas trees here, which seems rather odd given that all the trees here are ‘ever’ green. But to each his own.

I don’t have my DVD of It’s a Wonderful Life here, so I’m not sure if we’ll even be able to watch any traditional holiday fare come Friday.

I wouldn’t call this a blue Christmas, but it is very different from any other Christmas I‘ve experienced.

Michael: Operation Just Cause

Bright rose and dark blues
Color the fading night skies
With obscure visions.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Just as in the states, there have been a lot of holidays and celebrations here the last two months. But one anniversary that flew almost completely under the radar here in Volcan was the anniversary of Operation Just Cause; the U.S. military intervention that removed Manuel Noriega from power in Panama during the Reagan era and I presume is the reason why everyone’s walking around with U.S. dollars in their pockets to pay for their danish and coffee at the local panaderia.

The only reason I know this historic event took place around this time is because I received an e-mail warning of two small protests being held in Panama City. But here in Volcan there was no protest or even an acknowledgement of this historic event. I’m guessing Panamanians may treat the overthrow of Noriega pretty much like how Americans treat the War of 1812. I presume that war had something to do with the British, but that’s about the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

But my presumptions may be way off base. And damned, Noriega’s still alive and in prison here, so unlike the War of 1812, there are a lot of people here (or maybe not?) whose lives must have been directly affected by the U.S. invasion. I’m going to have to do a little research into this and try to understand why this event is missing from the marching band parade calendar around here in Volcan.

Michael: Every Knows it's Windy

The spider came clean
While I dried my hair leaving
Me alone to groom.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

We arrived this year in Volcan January 19, right in the middle of the non-hurricane season. That’s suppose to be one of the big selling points of Panama, they’re out of the hurricane zone, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get very, very windy here.

Books and blogs discuss living here for up to a year to see if you can tolerate the rainy season, but the rainy season, at least this year for us, was a joy. It’s the wind that’s unsettling and now we know when it begins. This year it was Friday, December 19, which means we have until the end of February to experience the full force of the windy season.

Unlike the rain, which at the most, only lasts for a few hours, the wind here is a constant. It may die down into a breeze for a while, but in the evening it builds up a good head of steam and will go from a continual bluster to occasional howls. It’s like being in the Wizard of Oz without ever being knocked out and waking up and it’s calm and beautiful. No, Dorothy, it’s Volcan, Panama, and everyday for over the next two months, you’re going to wake up (if you can sleep) and it’s going to be damned windy outside.

But there is a way out. If we head north for two miles toward Costa Rica the winds die down. Similarly, heading south, once you’re outside of the city limits of Volcan, the winds also dissipate.

We like it here in Panama, but the winds here in Volcan at this time of the year have us considering moving just a smidgen to get out of wind tunnel.

Michael: Niggles and the toe next to the big toe

The dogs of Volcan
Are a mixed breed of gangsters,
Slackers and beggars.

Sunday, December 19, 2015

The toe next to my big toe (the index toe?), is longer than my big toe. This usually isn’t a concern, but every now and then a pair of running shoes will rub the tip of that toe the wrong way. That’s what’s occurred on the break in runs of my new Topos; the MT2 trail shoes and the Fly Lite road shoes.

First off, I’d like to keep both pairs of shoes. They’re light, comfortable, fast and good looking. In fact I set a PR without even trying on my 6k tempo course with the Fly Lites yesterday. But that toe thing; if I’m going to run more than an hour in these shoes, that’s got to be fixed.

But what are the possible fixes?

On both break in runs I used medium weight socks. Next time out I’ll use thin socks and make sure my heel is locked down nice and snug.

If that fails, I’ll simply wait and hope the shoes stretch a bit with time, or place something inside them to stretch them just a pinch.

I could, of course, nip the problem in the bud and consider amputating my index toes below the nail. I’ve heard of runners having their nails removed. My solution would have the added benefit of removing both nail troubles and toe rub problems in one or two clean slices.

Or I could try a half size larger or return the shoes.

One step at a time. Hopefully one less little annoying step at a time.

Michael: Buying Gas Without a Car

Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop;
The hard flapping of its wings
Announces its crow.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Our hot water and stove are fueled by two small beer keg sized canisters stored in a small shed against the house. They usually last about a month and a half and usually run out within a day or two of each other. That allows us to switch from one to the other until we can get replacements. It’s a bit of a hassle, but not all that problematic. But this month disaster struck and both canisters ran out at the same time.

Disaster because it meant waking up without hot coffee! That might be the best reason yet to get a car here.

But since we don’t have a car, we had to wait until the next morning when we could go shopping at the nearest store to us, Berard’s, then flag down a taxi. The taxi drives us home and we ask him to wait while we retrieve the canisters. He then takes us to the gas station to replace the canisters, then takes us back home. It’s all pretty quick and not all that costly. The canisters are about $6 and the taxi, for all the back and forth, was also $6.

But how do you calculate the cost of the stress of possibly going without a hot cup of coffee with a dash of cinnamon in the morning? Is buying a used car worth it to alleviate that fear? Sounds preposterous I know, but you try sleeping at night without the assurance that the Java Gods are going to bless you in the morning with a sip of their hot aromatic ambrosia.

Michael: Trail Etiquette in Espanol

The curious cows
Followed us across the stream
And nodded farewell.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

We were told by an ex-pat that there was a very nice trail very close to our cabin that connects the main road we live off to the road that leads north to the hamlet of Caizan. If we could follow this trail, and if it were decent enough, that would be a great benefit to us, as we would now be able to run out our door for a trail run. Now, every time we want to trail run we need to take a bus.

Turns out we could both follow it and it‘s more than decent enough. The trail begins as gravel road that passes by a few homes that within a half a mile turns into a farm road that leads through some rolling hills and grazing land. Midway through it passes by a picturesque stream. After 3 ½ miles it terminates at the Caizan road near the historic archeological Barilis site. There we have the option to run the road back into Volcan, then head another mile north home, or double back on the trail.

We decided to double back on the trail and that’s where our trail etiquette confusion begins. On the return, a man riding horseback first approached Kimme and wanted to talk to her, but she told him she didn’t speak Spanish. He then road ahead to catch me. When he did, he advised me that I would need to ask his permission to pass as it was private property. I did, but he said he we would further need to ask his boss. I asked how I could do that, and he said that would be difficult so it was best that we not use this trail.

Though there were a few cattle gates we needed to cross, I’m fairly certain the trail is a public access way and I’m almost positive that if we were natives walking the trail, he wouldn’t have given us a second thought.

The problem is we don’t know the proper trail etiquette here and we’re either going to have to avoid certain trails or learn what to say and how to act if we want to proceed on trails that pass near or through farm land.

Hopefully it’s just a matter of being polite and/or deferential. For us it wouldn’t be worth it if we’re told just to be obstinate and proceed when we know someone doesn’t want us to use a trail.

We are constantly discovering, on or off the trails, we have a lot to learn here.

Michael: Santa Claus is Running to Town

Moth wings, orange and
Bright, are scattered like flower
Petals in the dirt.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Yesterday I picked up two new pair of Topo running shoes; the Fly Lites road shoe and the MT-2 trail shoes. That brings the total of 7 new pairs for 2015. I’m sure that’s the lowest total for any recent year. But still it does seem slightly excessive, and I will probably buy less next year, but I’m not going to set any quantity ceiling for 2016. In fact I’m so pleased with this years’ shoes that I’m planning on buying at least 3 duplicate pairs next year.

But why the Topos? Now that I’m upping my road work to three times per week, I was in the market for a versatile shoe that could be used as a light weight trainer/ occasional racing flat. The only road shoes I have now are the Asics GT 2000s. They’re a great training shoe but too heavy for racing.

After reading and watching several reviews, I was about to purchase a pair of New Balance 1500s from Running Warehouse when I received a half off coupon for Topo shoes. I’ve had Topos in the past with mixed results and had looked at their Runventure trail shoe previously, but the reviews were mixed, so Topos dropped from my shoe consciousness until the coupon. At $50 bucks per pair, that brought them into a price range worthy of a second look.

Right now I’m using a pair of old Topo Sts for gym shoes. They’re great for that. They were sold as racing flats but I just didn’t feel they had enough cushion to race in. But the Fly Lites, while not quite as light, get great reviews and are light enough for racing yet seem to be adequately cushioned for long training sessions. I read that they should be given about 25 miles to break in, which I should be able to do in the next couple of weeks.

As for the MT-2 trail shoes. Right now I rotate through 3 pairs of trail shoes. They’re all great for their purposes and I’m sure I’ll be wearing one of those pairs, the Hoka ATR Challengers for part of the Sycamore 100k in February. But given the reviews and my own past experience with Hokas, I was a little queasy about what condition they’d be in come race day.

At the same time I was going to purchase the New Balances, I was going to buy a back up pair of Hokas or try a pair of Altras from Running Warehouse, but the Topo coupon arrived and the Mts came into the picture.

I had the original Mts and really enjoyed them, but within a few months of using them I started to develop severe heel pain. Being the dufus that I am, I thought I could solve the problem by changing shoes, so all my old shoes were replaced, including a pair of Hokas and Brooks along with the Topos.

But no shoe relieved the pain for long. Only after returning to my regimen of Achilles stretches and exercises did the pain go away. Since then, I put Hokas and Brooks back in the line up, so why not give Topos another go? They’re extremely light and comfortable and after the break in period in the next few weeks, I’ll be in a good position to decide if they’ll serve as one of my race day shoes along with the Hokas come February.

And, yes, of course I want this all to sound so objective weighing cost and value and then making the most rational choice, but the Topos also happen to come in colors that really appeal to me and coordinate well with the rest of my attire.

Michael: At Home

The dripping bird’s call;
Slow, clear, descending before
A quick high note pause.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

The last exercises I do everyday are stretches at home before dinner. This is a complete reversal of the routine and philosophy I was taught in high school where we ritually gathered in a circle and stretched before we trained.

Turns out that what we did after we stretched in high school; jog a perimeter around the school then do some straights and curves or pick ups across the football field, was all the warm up we needed or should have been doing. That’s pretty much all I do now before a run or race.

So why do I stretch at night? One, because I have to stretch and two because it’s a good way to unwind and cue the body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for a good night’s rest.

I haven’t always wanted to stretch and if I hadn’t developed Achilles tendonitis years ago, then heel bursitis and lower back pain more recently, I doubt I would be. But routinely stretching everyday has eliminated the first two aches and now I’ve thrown in a series of stretches from a book called How to Live a Pain Free Life by Dr. Wiley to work on the pain in my lower back.

The stretches, called the Wiley method, only take 6 minutes to perform and are suppose to make sure that all my joints are well lubricated with synovial fluid. I didn’t even know I had synovial fluid until I read his book, but now that I do know, I want to make sure it gets to where it’s suppose to.

I figure I’ll give his routine 3 months. If it relieves my lower back pain before my race at the end of March, I’ll be a convert for life.

Michael: The Gym

Black pearl waters
Shallow and still; where green eyes
Touch the earth to cry.

Monday, December 13, 2015

Gyms are fishbowls and people’s big eyes scare me, so I’ve never been a gym member. But all my equipment is in storage, Kimme wants to go to the gym and I can’t find a kettle bell heavier than 30 lbs. here, so we’ve started to go to the gym twice a week.

It actually hasn’t been so bad. We tried the gym months ago but it was small and cramped and we weren’t getting a good vibe from the well muscled owner/trainer. But he recently moved to a much larger space and an ex-pat put in a good word for him, so we thought we’d give it another try.

The gym now occupies about 500 sq. ft. of the second floor of a very nice building on the outskirts of Volcan. It’s very light with two walls of windows that provide plenty of light. The owner hasn’t brought in any new equipment, so it’s still very old fashioned with a row of 5 stationary bikes to warm up on, a few Universal machines, free weights, kettle bells, and resistance bands and straps. There is no equipment that requires electricity but there is a boom box in the back pumping out English and Spanish music with a heavy beat.

In the few weeks we’ve been going, there’s never been more than 5 people in there, and with more space to operate and an all around better environment, the trainer and we are both more comfortable together this go round. In fact,  he’s been very happy to suggest exercises and demonstrate proper technique to Kimme. Right now I’m just happy to be swinging a 35 lb. kettle bell. Once I can get a heavier one for home use, I may then ask him to help me develop a free weight routine and do my kettle bell work at home.

But as soon as I have all of my equipment from the states and the space to work out, I’ll probably still leap out of the new and improved fish bowl and head to my own little private corner where I can grunt or squeal without worrying about anyone looking at me funny.

Michael: The Rides

The trail is squishy,
Rocky, rooty, hypnotic,
Scary and serene.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

There are more cyclists here than trail runners, but that’s not saying much. Outside of Kimme, I haven’t seen any one else running the trails. But there does seem to be a group of worthwhile adversaries here on bicycles, though I haven’t ridden with any of them yet. So again, like running, I train alone on the bike here.

There are four main cycling routes here, each about a 25 mile branch on one of the two main roads of Volcan. Volcan sits at about 4,500 ft. in the highlands on a two lane road that connects the Pan American Highway to the south to the Costa Rican border to the north. The other main road connects Volcan to the town of Cerro Punta to the east.

From Volcan to the Pan American Highway is 25 predominantly downhill miles. The ride begins with some lazy curves downhill and ends on a straight downhill slope into the town of Bugaba. On the descent, the heat and humidity pick up, but as long as I get there before 10, it hasn’t been much above 80 degrees or too miserably humid. Without pushing it too hard I can do this section in about 50 minutes. That makes the turn around a long grind back uphill to Volcan, but at least the weather breaks about half way up and becomes cooler, in the 70s, and far less humid. The ride, from Volcan and back, takes me about 2:40. I end up averaging a little over 16 m.p.h.

If you head north from Volcan it’s about 25 miles roller coaster miles to the town of Rio Sereno and the border with Costa Rica.  Again, it’s a predominantly downhill run, so an out and back trek is harder coming back than going out, but otherwise, this stretch of the road has a completely different feel than the road to the Pan American Highway. This section is constantly curving up and down and pretty much keeps you on your toes for the entire ride. I usually turn around at the Produce inspection station about 20 miles from Volcan. That takes me about an hour. The total ride takes me about an 2:15.

The easiest ride is the 25 mile lollipop loop on the other main road of Volcan. That’s the road that heads north and connects Volcan to the farming community of Cerro Punta. Cerro Punta sits at about 5,500 ft so this ride is actually faster coming back than it is going out. It’s also pretty much a hands off the brakes ride starting with a long straight slightly uphill stretch to Cerro Punta, doing a pretty flat 4 mile loop around that community, then heading back downhill into Volcan. That ride takes me about 1:25.

The other main road worth checking out by road bike here is the new road that is a shortcut to Boquete. That road branches off to the east from the main road to Bugaba about 10 miles downhill from Volcan at the town of Cuesta de Piedra. Again, it’s downhill out and uphill on the return and pretty much is a condensed version of the main road from Costa Rica to Buguba, starting off with a few big rollers then straightening out into a gradual  downhill slope. In the dry season I’ll ride about 25 miles to the small hamlet of Portrerillos before turning around. It takes me about an hour and half to get there and about 3:30 for the total ride.

At some point during this dry season I plan to do an extended grinder and either ride all the way to Boquete or do a big loop from here, down the new road to Dolega, then south to the Pan American Highway to David, turn on the P.A.H. to Bugaba, then head back up north to Volcan. But for now, I’m pretty content with the four routes I can do from my porch in Volcan.

Michael: The Trails

Cobwebs decorate
Our wrought iron gate nabbing
A few intruders.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Trail running is my passion. If I could manage to maintain speed and remain competitive purely through trail running, I would. It’s like going to church, if church were held outside and on the move and without the goofy clothes or preaching or Latin if you were brought up like I was. Okay, maybe it’s not so much like church. More like spiritual in the not new age snobbish or obnoxious way.

Here, there are three main trails that we rotate through along with a few jeep roads we’re going to occasionally throw into the mix.

Two of these trails, the Quetzal and the Volcan Baru, are single track and virtually impossible to run from end to end. In fact, that’s part of their appeal. Unlike the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, on these trails we’re using every type of movement and every muscle you can imagine to get from one end to the other.

The other trail we go to often, Los Posas, is a very rocky farm road, but is completely runnable.

I do miss the trails of Southern California. Almost all of them have sections you can let loose on and really fly through. If you want to remain in one piece, that’s not the way it works here. And, as far as I know, there is only one local trail race. And I really enjoy trail racing and the community of trail runners. Not that road racers are an inferior breed. Hell, I’m a cross-over type myself, but I feel I even act a little differently when I’m road racing.

I’m going to stop now before I break out into a John Denver song.


You are bright, colorful, unique and deserving; lets celebrate! Oh, unless you’re recovering from a debilitating illness or accident; then get well soon. Or if you’re grieving the loss of a loved one; technically we’ll mourn with you. Either way, this is an occasion, and this is the occasional card you’ll receive from us/me.

Michael: The Road Runs

The terraced hillsides
Are manicured by cows’ hooves
And dairy farmers
.
Thursday, December 10, 2015

Without easy access to a track or treadmill here in Volcan, we’re hitting the road two to three times a week for our runs. This past year was the first time I’d consistently trained on the road for about 15 years. But these are long country roads that are lightly trafficked and without lights or major intersections. Surprisingly, it’s a rather enjoyable change from the track or treadmill grinds I use to do.

On Mondays we do speed work. Outside of  being fun, quick and relatively easy, speed work serves a variety of purposes. One, it throws in a bit of high intensity training. It’s good form work, and it helps maintain fast twitch muscle fibers. When I was 16, I ran a 4:42 mile. Now I’m in the 5:10 range. I’d like to stay as near to 5 for as long as I can.

 To start our speed work we jog for about 5 minutes to cross a bridge over the Chiriqui River to a long straight roughly 6% grade stretch of the road to Rio Sereno. There we’ll do sprints up and down the hill. We change the intensity by changing the time of our reps every month and the number or repetitions every week. For example, this month we’re running for 45 seconds, starting with 6 reps; three up/ three down the hill. Every week we’ll add two reps. Next month we’ll start the first Monday with 1 minute of running hard and 6 reps. We take us much time as we like to recover in between reps.

I can’t see going over a minute hard for speed work on the road. Not that it wouldn’t be beneficial for my running, but I do feel at that point I’d be butting my head up against the law of diminishing returns and mentally it would just become a grind.

On Fridays, we switch to the road that heads toward Bambito for an interval/tempo run. Again, this stretch of the road is long and straight but on a much more shallower incline, though going up hill is almost always going against the wind. To make that bearable, I’ll do a countdown 6-5-4-3-2-1 interval run, where, after a short warm up, I’ll pick up the pace for 6 minutes, then jog for 3 minutes to recover; pick it up for 5 minutes; jog for 2 minutes to recover, and so on.

It’s a little game for me. If its not too windy and I do the pick ups at a decent clip, I’ll hit the 7k mark, the Hotel Bambito, after the 3 minute interval and am rewarded by shaving the 2 and 1 minute reps off my workout. But the catch is that leaves my legs a bit more fatigued for the turn around 6k tempo run back to Volcan. How much does pushing the intervals effect my speed on the way back? That’s the game. The tempo run on the way back also gives me a good indication of how my training is progressing by providing me with a constant measure I can look at throughout the year.

Every other Sunday we’re doing a long easy road run. This run, though on the road, far better mimics the conditions I’ll face for the 100k trail race at the end of February. It’s my race lab. We’re starting with 11 miles and will build up to 21 miles before tapering for the race. I don’t know exactly why, but I oddly look forward to these runs. And I know it’s not just because it gave me an excuse to buy a new pair of running shoes.

I’m enjoying these road sessions much more than I ever thought I would, though nothing beats the trails.

Michael: The General Plan

The green mountain side
Rises out of the earth like
A stegosaurus.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

For the past two months and until I begin to taper for a 100k trail race at the end of February, the general plan is this:

Monday: Speed work/ body weight resistance training.
Tuesday: Jump rope/ gym.
Wednesday: 1 ½ hr. trail run.
Thursday: 1 ½ - 2 ½ hr. bike ride/ Jump rope/ body weight resistance work.
Friday: Interval - tempo run/ gym.
Saturday: 2 ½ - 4 hr. bike ride.
Sunday: long road or trail run.

All of these workouts are done in the morning, though I also stretch for about 45 minutes every night.

I was trying to wedge in another bike ride and a upper body workout, but that was leaving me a little too exhausted and edgy.

To prepare for the race in February, every two weeks I plan on getting out for an all day running/hiking adventure. Otherwise nothing too drastic or complicated. I’ve always been a low mileage cross training dude, no matter what type of racing I was doing or what was trending on the exercise front. I enjoy it and it’s kept me pretty active and healthy. I may tinker a bit as the years go by, but as long as I’m capable, I don’t foresee any reason to stop running, riding and lifting.

This plan gets me outside everyday. Even on Tuesday when we’re only doing gym work, we walk to and from the gym. That, I believe, is one of the  secrets to our improving health here in Panama. Without a car, we get outside a lot more and do a lot more walking. 

This plan is by no means perfect or written in stone. For the fun of it, we’d like to take up swimming at some point. We’d also like to give tennis and/or basketball a go to work on our hand-eye coordination and lateral agility. Every few months we’ll also tinker with new gym and body weight exercises to keep our bodies adaptive and to stop rigor-mortis from setting in.

I’m grateful for my health and the opportunity to get outside everyday and experience the joys that movement and moving through this world provides.

Michael: Little boy kind of grows up.

The dust colored moth,
With its tattered wings, clings to
What’s left of its life.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

 There is a little boy in me that wants to go faster and faster. Speed is exhilarating so why not? But months of joyful play can come to an abrupt halt if I crash because I was being stupid on a descent or training hard through areas on the road where it would be much wiser to ease up.

That’s why I also wear gloves when I trail run. Using my protected hands allows me to run a little faster and play a little harder. It’s fun and prevents injuries. I can grab trees, or crawl, or briefly touch my hands to the ground to prevent a fall if I stumble without getting hurt.

There is a little boy in me that wants to stay out late and spin under the stars until I fall to the ground dizzy and out of breath. But that little boy wasn’t trying to be competitive in a 100k race. That doesn’t mean I have to give up going on really long runs or hikes. But now that I’ve been out of the house for a while and mom’s not around to call me in,  I’ve  got to be wise enough to reign myself in now and then.

Going outside and playing everyday is a real treat and now that I’m not punching the clock, that’s what I intend to do. I’m sure every once in a while I’m going to over do it. And every once in a while something’s going to trip me up and I’m going to get a few boo-boos along the way. Hopefully nothing a little Bactine, a band aid or a good long nap won’t fix.

Michael: Heal Thy Self

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Michael: With time to reflect, will times improve?

The caracara
Was blown off its perch forcing
A pratfall take-off.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

This year I dropped out of my longest competition, a 50k trail race due to a bruised foot bone caused by a bicycle accident. If I had been living in the states I would’ve had very little time to reflect on that DNF. Until this year I was racing about twice a month, so my thoughts would’ve quickly focused on my next challenge, no doubt a much shorter race. 

That had its pros and cons. On the plus side, quickly looking forward left little time to mope about a DNF or poor performance. It did heighten the stress level of the next race, but fortunately for me, I can’t recall having any back to back disappointing races.

On the negative side, constantly racing has left little time to reflect on making changes to my training program and lifestyle that could improve both my health and my performances in races longer than 50k. As a result, longer races were becoming more of a rarity on my calendar, and that was discouraging to me.

But moving to Panama this year has changed all that. There are plenty of challenging rides and runs out here, but races are few and far between. In fact, I haven’t run a race here since May. That’s given me plenty of time to think about my health and what modifications I should make to both become healthier and more successful at races over 50k.

I haven’t been  happy with the thought of going into a race with the outcome in my mind being more of a roll of the dice than a strong performance based on a well thought out and executed training program.

Now it’s up to me. Am I wise enough to make the changes necessary to bring myself to a long race as primed as I can be for a break out performance? That I intend to find out at the end of February when I race in the Sycamore 100K. 

Michael: Serendipity Calling

The fluctuating
Blues, grays, whites and roses keep
They eyes turned skyward.

Friday, December 4, 2015

The internet repair guy came again a couple of weeks ago and worked on the cable and phone lines of our landlord’s house and our cabin. We had a solid signal for a couple of days before our net flickered out again.

We didn’t sink into complete despondency or pack up for visits to the internet café, as we were sometimes able to tap into our landlord’s unsecured line and at least respond to emails. But we weren’t the happy campers we usually are when we have full access to the net.

Then last week the magic of Panama came calling again. And I mean literally it picked up the phone and called us.


Our land line phone rang, which is a rare event in itself, and when I answered it a man’s voice asked for our our landlord. I told him this wasn’t her home number any more. She was next door and I gave him her number. While this was happening I noticed the signal for the internet came on. At first I thought it was a fluke, but when the net went down again the next day, I eddied what the hell, I’ll get on my cell phone and call our land line and see what happens. Voila! A brief 30 second phone call to the internet god seems to bring up the net for a good 6 to 12 hours.

We don’t know why this works. We don’t care. And we’re definitely not going to tell our landlord. As the saying goes, “ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And if all it takes is a brief call to get us back on line, as goofy as it is, we’re more than happy to keep giving ourselves a call. 

Michael: Another Small Step

The absence of clouds
In the morning leaves the sky
An empty canvas

Thursday, December 3, 2015

On Tuesday we went back to Banistmo to try yet again to open a checking account. An account at Banistmo won’t lead to a construction loan, but it’ll at least stop the slow bleeding of debit card transaction fees, allow us to apply for a credit card and possibly an auto loan in six months, and proves that working with banks in Panama is possible.
According to Berenice, the bank representative we met with, our paperwork was in order, but unfortunately her computer was down so we’d have to come back.

Wednesday we did. Berenice wasn’t there. The lady who initially assisted us said we were good to go so long as we had the required $1,000. We didn’t. Both yesterday and the week before we were told $300 would suffice so that’s what we had on us. I told her this and she had us go to another representative, Lewis. Lewis seemed like a decent enough young dude but last time I dealt with him he kept going to Berenice until she said we needed a letter from our lawyer. Without Berenice there, I wasn’t sure how he’d deal with us this time around.

But he actually took us through the nearly two hour process of filling out the paperwork and getting us a checking account. Our checks and debit card should be at the bank in ten days.

I’m hesitant, but I do feel it’s worth at least a small leap in the air and quick clicking of the heels.

Michael: The Faucet is off

How did the white moth
Know the dusty cowboy hat
Would camouflage him?

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Summer is here. It hasn’t rained in a week. People were telling us mid December, but I had read on the net that El Nino was going to bring drier weather to Panama and apparently the forecasters are starting off on the right foot. Back home in California, I haven’t heard that they’re getting the relief they need just yet from the prolonged drought, but hopefully snow and rain are on their way.

During this rainy season we were fortunate to always make it home without ever getting caught out in a downpour. We pushed it to the edge several times and were scrambling up our dirt road just ahead of getting soaked, but our intuition and good luck somehow saw through.
We also got by without a humidifier. It did feel a wee bit damp at times, but we never felt wet or uncomfortable. And if we washed our clothes early enough and gave them all morning to dry, they did.

There were also only three days where we weren’t able to get out in the morning and exercise because of the rain. Otherwise, the rainy season was just as all the books, net, and people here told us it would be; dry in the morning and rainy in the afternoon.

What they didn’t tell us is that it gets incrementally colder as the rainy season wears on. At the end I was seriously considering looking for a small space heater. Although we weren’t shivering, we were bundled up from head to toe every morning waiting for sunrise and some relief from the chill. It could be that we’re just Southern California wimps, but it sure is a great to have the afternoon sun to push the evening chill back until we’re tucked cozily into our warm bed.

I also wasn’t expecting that the rainy season would have a S.A.D. effect. I figured being so close to the equator, sunrise and sunset would change very little during the year and I’d miss the gloomy mood that sets in as winter works it way deeper into the light in North America. And though technically that’s true, the continual daily cloud cover and increasing cold here, does a pretty good job of mimicking a Southern California winter.

But the rainy season seems to be behind us now and the hard winds that greeted us last year in January haven’t arrived yet. At this moment, the weather is just about as perfect as any earthling could ask for.

Michael: Triggers

The cocks sparred for months
Until yesterday’s skirmish
Ended in their deaths.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

When we first moved here there were three roosters, a few hens and a bunch of chicks running around. The neighbors came and took all the hens and chicks turning the abandoned house behind us into a rooster bachelor pad.

For the most part the three boys didn’t seem to mind. They crowed and walked around the yard together. Occasionally one would turn on the other very abruptly for a brief rooster stare down just to make sure that they understood where they were in the pecking order; boys will be boys. But none of them ever flew off to bring back a hen that might break up the band. Mostly they just walked the yard scratching for feed or hung out together  on the top of the fence.

A few months ago our landlord’s dog killed one of them. She wasn’t happy about that as she liked the roosters and was feeding them. The dog seemed to tolerate the roosters for the most part, but would make a lunge for one now and then, and all’s it takes is to be a little slow once…

For the remaining two roosters life didn’t seem to change much until a few days ago when our landlord thinks a face-off must of turned serious and one of the roosters apparently killed the other one. We’ve only seen one running around in unusual patterns. It seems discombobulated and unable to fly, but it is giving its usual morning shout out.  The other one is nowhere to be seen. 

Why these roosters would go for nearly a year without turning on each other and then one day something would be ever so slightly different enough so that one of them would crow, “That’s it! Enough is enough.” And take the other one out is a mystery to me. I suppose that’s still one of the mysteries we haven’t solved in our own species as well.

Michael: Back on the trail

Listening to the
Deep calm breath of the forest
Allows me to sleep.

Monday, November 30, 2015

We went to check out the Quetzal trail since we hadn’t been on it for a month and a half and it’s the old good news/bad news story.

The good news is that it survived the worst of the rainy season and is jog/hikeable from end to end. In fact yesterday it was just about perfect all the way around, with a light breeze helping to keep us cool and comfortable.

The bad news; it’s in great condition. Yesterday I lucked out and managed to find a decent excuse to walk the trail. At the Quetzal Hotel where we take a taxi to the trailhead, we met an American who just got here on Friday and he looked a little confused to me. I asked him if he wanted to tag along with us on our hike, and he said sure. That’s the excuse I was looking for. I was tired and didn’t feel up to running.

But next week I won’t have that excuse. Not that I don’t enjoy a good wrenching sweatfest now and then, but doing the Quetzal out and back on a regular basis is like going to church; both edifying and nauseating at the same time.

Michael: Independence Day

The morning wind and
Sporadic tap of warm rain
Usher in summer.

Sunday, November 29, 3015

Yesterday was Independence Day from Spain here in Panama. Buses of school marching bands from all over the region came to Volcan to wait their turn to march down the main street. The bands are comprised of two sections; an all female majorette section that leads out the mixed gender band. The marching went on from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon nonstop.

After that there is an amusement park and dancing. And then after that, just like in the States, there is drinking, and loud music and people until the early morning hours. Fortunately for us we’re not in town and are surrounded by far more cows and dogs than people. And they don’t show any interest in all the revelry.

Kind of reminds me of how we were in high school. My class, the class of 76, were suppose to be full of spirit as we were the graduates of the Bicentennial. But for the most part, we were a bunch of self absorbed and spiritless eighteen year olds just going through the motions. Heck, I didn’t even go through my own graduation ceremony as a protest against it having religious content and the paradox of treating us all as automatons while welcoming us to adulthood. Damned, I sure hope I have some of that old spunk left in me.

Next year I hope I have enough Spanish under my belt to ask these kids how they feel about their Independence Day.

Michael: Black Friday

The moon, Venus and
Mars are shining brightly in
The clear mountain air.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

 We figured here in the country side of Panama we would be far removed from the hyper-consumerism that follows Thanksgiving known as Black Friday. Not quite.

Although the country is pretty busy with the end of school year promotions and celebrations and preparing for the holiday of their Independence from Spain, some shop keepers still managed to squeeze in references to Black Friday.

On our way to our run we saw large banners hanging from some shops advertising Black Friday sales. And, adding to the quirkiness, not only is  “Black Friday”  written in English, but some of these banners are hanging from shops that sell “Ropa Americana”. They are clothing stores that are stocked full of America’s gluttony spill over.

We were also stopped on our run by an out of his trunk shoe peddler selling Under Armor running shoes. Which there was no point looking at because, as I struggled to tell the man in Spanish, I had already fallen prey to Black Friday’s pull and purchased a couple of pairs of shoes that morning over the internet. 

Michael: The Turkey Trot

The wood grained moth, with
The wingspan as large as my
Palm, sat motionless.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Yesterday we woke up to a steady rain. I had a ride scheduled but scratched that and jumped rope instead. Later that afternoon Kimme reminded me that this was the first year in quite a while that we didn’t run the annual Thanksgiving day turkey trot with the Santa Monica Trail Runners Club and last year was the first year we didn’t do that run with Ernie Chalekson who had died while trail running the Sunday before last year’s Thanksgiving.

Ernie loved running, particularly trail running. I can’t remember a time either before, during or after a run where he didn’t comment with “Isn’t this great!”. And that was on an uphill, downhill, through blazing heat or a torrential downpour. The old cantankerous buzzard just loved being on the trails.

A lot of people commented that at least he died doing what he loved. Whenever someone says that my mind immediately jumps to the Woody Allen quip, “ I don’t want to be immortalized through my work, I want to be immortal by not dying.” Ernie didn’t want to die doing what he loved. Ernie wanted to live doing what he loved.

That’s why, no matter where I am in the world on Thanksgiving, I’m going to find a trail and run for a while with the spirit of my dear friend Ernie telling me to “Go get em!,” and “isn’t this just a great day!”.

Michael: Thanksgiving

The morning rain tapped
Out a hard steady rhythm
Like a reverie.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

We are having a stay at home without family, feast or football Thanksgiving. We didn’t plan it that way. We don’t feel like we’re intentionally aiming to be anti-social misfits, it’s just the way the it worked out for us this year.

We did go to a small social gathering yesterday. An ex-pat couple host a monthly movie gathering that shows films from the Spiritual Cinema Circle, usually containing three shorts and one feature length movie. That is quite a treat for me as I use to be quite an art house movie buff and these films are even more obscure. They’re presented by a host who has an invited guest and they have a small discussion after each film.

We followed that format as well with our hosts also leading a small discussion after each movie. We also broke for treats before the feature presentation, and in keeping with tradition I overindulged on sweets; lemon bars and brownies filling in for pumpkin and apple pie.

It also just dawned on me this morning how unintentionally anti-Thanksgiving the feature attraction was. It was The Camino, a documentary about six individuals experience of walking the 500 mile Camino path in Spain. The walk was traditionally a Christian pilgrimage, but now is traveled by people all over the world for any number or reasons. But all the travelers seemed to be intoxicated by the long steady hours and days of rhythmic movement.

I’m not deriding sit down family gatherings. They’re great. But get up and move together happenings would be a great tradition to foster as well.