Michael: The Dog House

Slept in the dog house

One cold and windy night;

It wasn’t so bad. 

 Tuesday, December 31, 2019



This is to further support my belief that nature is a baffling and random creature.



 About nine months ago, as we were about to move to Topanga, we figured since it’s a bit colder there and to protect her from the rain, we bought a pretty decent dog house for our little Luna (She’s not really – weighing about 60 lbs, but I like the alliteration.), and tried to convince her to use it.



Until last month she was firmly against it. While we were at work she instead would huddle on her outdoor couch, or if it was raining go in a protected crawl space.



But for some unknown reason, and with very little prompting on our part, she now often prefers her house even over the creature comforts and warmer conditions of being indoors with us in the “big” house on many cold and rainy nights.



Why the change? We have no idea. It’s baffling, but no more so than any other change from what appeared to be routine behavior from any other species I’m aware of including my own.

Michael: Not So Secret Santa

A miserably

Tortious experience;

A ride in the cold.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019



Since I’ve been working full time again, I’ve pretty consistently bought a new piece of running gear every month. That seems to prevent the highs/lows of Christmas expectations.



And as far as a being a gift giver goes, I’m not bad, but I will say that there always seems to be just a little bit of a dark cloud with every shiny item I pick up for myself.



Recently those have been Inov8 rain pants and Saucony Peregrine Iso shoes (both on sale!).



I haven’t tested the pants in the rain yet, but on a chilly windy day they worked much better than I thought they would; keeping me warm without causing a sauna inside. If they work as well in the rain they’re going to be great. The only niggle is the poor design of the rear mesh pocket. It’s too loose to feel comfortable about stashing anything in it and expecting to be there at the end of a run. That’s an easy fix though. A snap place in the middle or some other type of reinforcement should do the trick. I’m hoping I don’t have to use them in any races, but I do have some long events planned in the next couple of months so best to be prepared.



The Peregrines also fit great except, oddly, where they almost seem to be over-built; that’s around the heel collar. With all that padding you’d think that the heel would definitely be locked in, but although the mid-foot wrap is great and more than adequate to prevent my foot from sliding forward, the heel seems like it might be prone to allowing a bit of grit to come in due to a little heel play. Again, in cold weather, I’m thinking this would be an easy fix by using a gaiter. And although that’s not something I’ve made use of training or racing, I may to give it a go.



And that’s the way it goes when almost everything is very good but just not quite angelic. It leads to another gift coming out of the next pay check.  

Michael: The Pee...p Show

Orange and yellow;

The colorful leaves of fall

Brighten the season.

 Tuesday, December 10, 2019



As part of my job as a hiking guide, I give a little talk about using nature as a port-a-potty. I emphasize that for privacy’s sake, please have a friend stand guard or leave a pack or pole on trail so that no one sneaks up on you when you’re answering nature’s call. For two years, that advice has been heeded and I haven’t caught anybody with their panties down. Until yesterday.



The woman who’s snatch I almost got a peek at was a freebie. That’s an A lister who does the program for free in the hopes that they’ll spread the good word and it’ll generate business. These people are almost always social media darlings whom I never recognize because I’m old and don’t participate in any of those shenanigans.



But there she was only a few feet away from a public park parking lot, squatting down taking one last leak for the road. Fortunately I caught her in the frog position right before I turned the corner and took a few steps back to be polite. I know she saw me, but she didn’t ask and I didn’t divulge that I didn’t see her. And that was that.



 Perhaps she’s of a generation that isn’t as coy or concerned about privacy as my generation is. And perhaps that has its positive aspects. But I’m hoping I’ll be retired before I’m told that my little “be careful” of your privacy out there talk is giggled as anachronistic.

Michael: With a Whimper

The patter of rain

Started in my childhood and

Continues today.

 Friday, December 6, 2019

Due to the vagaries of my work schedule, I am not going to race again until the SOB 50k on January, 8^th. That’ll mean I’ll end the year without a race the last two months of this year. That’s a long time for me, but nothing I can do about that except reflect on last year and start to prep for the challenges awaiting 2020.

One of the biggest challenges won’t be a race at all but will be the next big chunk of the Colorado Trail sometime in September. Hopefully I’ll find a way to get out on a little gear run before that, but that won’t be until August or September so can put off planning for that for a while.

As for last year…Overall, it was pretty productive and I’ll be hard pressed to duplicate the success I had so better put some new challenges up on the board so as to not get bogged down in unwieldy  expectations.

And damned, that first challenge, the SOB, really isn’t that far off.

January races are always tough to prepare for. For one, like most people, I gain weight over the holidays. This year, I’m up to 147 so far, which isn’t bad considering I raced most of this year around 145. But weight gain, age and ultras don’t usually lead to improved results.

I’m going to try and not stress too much about it. With shopping, holiday parties and family gatherings ahead, trying to lose weight at this time of year is a tough ask. So I’m not going to. If I can clean up my diet a bit at home and work, I’ll be happy. And if I go into the SOB not tipping the scales over 150 I’ll use the race as a hyper start to a New Year’s resolution to get back to my race weight before heading into a couple of races in February.

This year I only ran two 5ks and was hoping to go under 20 minutes before the years end, but won’t be able to tackle that goal until early February. After that it’s the big and final attempt of trying to run the Scyamore 100k in under 12 hours. That’ll be the third and final time I sign up for that race. After that I look for other challenges early in the Calendar year to take it’s place. Or maybe I’ll just kick back and relax. 2021 is a long way off, but I would like to start swim training to see if I’d like tris and I sure do miss duathlons, which I haven’t raced in now for a couple of years.

This year has been good to me and it’s showed in my performances. I have a lot to be grateful for and will make a concerted effort to let everyone know how much their positive influences on my life has helped me improve as a person as well as an athlete.  

Michael: The Sleeper Diet

The rhythm of rain;
A cold samba beat tapping
Against the window. 
 Tuesday, December 3, 2019


I’ve been torn for quite a while on whether I should make any changes to my diet. I’m reading a book, Food: What the Heck Should You Eat?, that seems very reasonable in it’s recommendations. It doesn’t push vegetarianism, which I am and am not going to give up, but otherwise, it does have some very simple changes I know I should make.



Funny, when I rationalize all the sugar and processed foods I eat, I always think of Woody Allen’s Sleeper, where his health food owning character is informed 200 years later after he’s been unfrozen, that his healthy diet was proven to be badly misguided and that steak and desserts are the true health foods.



But I’m only hanging on to a thin thread of hope that that will occur to me, and I mainly believe that despite my good athletic performances at an advanced age, my diet is what will do me in if I’m not willing to make some changes.



So changes it’s going to be. I’m going to start small by not having any more chocolate or fried plantains in the house. Look for an oatmeal and bread substitute. And I’ll give these changes a go at least until my birthday in May and see what the results are. I’ll still allow some indulgences away from home for now.



Sometimes in order to keep moving forward or just to not back slide terribly (which is what I’m aiming for), you’ve got to make some adaptions. Food is one of those great pleasures in life. But my ego is driving me to see what I can get out of my body. And if I keep filling it up with junk, I’m afraid I’ll end up like an old smoker, wheezing and denying that smoking is the cause of my poor health and performance. For now, eating cleaner is, I believe, my best hope of continued success. If that fails, I’m going to go out in a blaze of banana splits.

Michael: From Orange Grove to Industrial Hemp

The cold grey showers

Have put off the chance for fires

For another year.

 Wednesday, November 27, 2019



Here’s another one of those, “How time flies” old man revelations.



Growing up in Orange County meant actually growing up in a county that had vast field of orange groves. Riding my bike through those groves on my way to Laguna Canyon Road and the coast was one of those take it for granted treats of my youth.



Those fields are gone and will never return, but another one of those unmistakable aromas of years gone by has returned and may possibly last much longer than I’d care for; that’s the smell of pot.



From where I work at the Four Seasons to one of the hikes we do on a regular basis – Ray Miller, we drive along Los Posas road through fields that just a year or two ago predominantly grew peppers and lettuce. This year much of those fields are covered in industrial hemp, and the aroma is very pungent.



I never smoked pot, but I grew up with many friends that did. I don’t like the smell of it and it never occurred to me that I’d ever have to be subjected to it again once I left my teens and early twenties far behind me.





But here it is and it seems it may linger for a while.



And here it is again, that sneaky fear that I’m becoming one of those old dudes turning into one of those grumpy old men only coming outside to shake my fist and to grumble, “ Get off my lawn, yer darn whippersnappers!”.

Michael; Ironic

 A light rain dampens

Our fire prone brush and eases

Our worried for now. 

 Tuesday, November 19, 2019



A week after taking a group of guests on the unintended record longest hike in our company’s history, a new week’s batch of guests came with one of the guests revealing a very interesting and relevant complaint to me.



She complained that while at our sister program in December of last year, a guide took her on a 5 ½ hour hike and that she would never go on a hike if that guide was involved. Naturally, I kept quiet about my recent involvement in the over 6 hour hike.



But her revelation did help put my worried about job security mind at ease a bit. After all, my goof wasn’t that much worse than the one she had experienced. And the guide that led that hike was my mentor and is still employed.



Shows that even the best of us can make mistakes now and then. Not that I’m in that category. Which means I’m still a bit worried about my job.



And also no one has mentioned it. I haven’t received an email from my superior or the owner, who was on the hike. And one of my fellow guides is still excited about incorporating part of my hike into our program – sans the additional mileage.



All of these thoughts ran through my head as I wryly smiled and listened compassionately to last week’s guest complain about her epic hike.

Michael: A Weakness Revealed

 Only I was lost

Walking between the dry brush,

Mountain sides and waves.

  Tuesday, November 12, 2019



Until last Sunday I was able to hide one of my biggest weaknesses from my employee. That weakness is my total lack of a sense of a direction.



As a trail guide, one that often marks the trails, I would’ve thought my Achilles heel would’ve made itself known early on, but my memory allowed me to get by and mark trails after I’d followed others several times.



However, on Sunday, I was marking a trail that I myself had suggested and had only done once recently. And that led to my downfall. What was supposed to be a 4 hour hike stretched into 6 as I got lost and confused. And what’s worse, the owner of the program I work for was there.



So far I can only think of a few bright spots that have come from this calamity. One is that, surprisingly, most of the guests were okay with my almost total screw up. Even the owner hasn’t contacted me yet to either fire, chastise me, or ask what the hell I was thinking.



Another bright spot was how I was treated when I decided to post at a point nearly two miles from the end so I could face the wrath of all those I had led astray. Again almost all the guests were kind and even asked me – of all people – the one who was responsible for them hiking two hours and five miles longer than anticipated, how much longer they had to go? There’s no way they should’ve trusted me to answer that question with any kind of reliability. But they did.



How much rope I have left at this job before I hang myself, I can’t say. But the noose feels tight enough now to give me a pretty painful rope burn.

Michael: The Tortoise

 Contours emanate

Unseen radiant desires

That breathe between us. 

 Wednesday, November 6, 2019



Every Saturday, as part of my job, I listen to a trainer tell our guests that there is a far easier way to improve cardio vascular fitness than the hikes we take them on. He suggest, that instead of hiking, they should do HIIT training.



Why?



Because it’s far less time consuming and obtains very similar results.



Maybe.



And why the maybe. Because if all you care about is the exercise numbers he may be right. But it isn’t just all about the numbers. Even the trainer doesn’t believe it’s all about the numbers.



This dude rides a very expensive Pinarello. So why does he invest all that time and money into cycling outside if he can get just about all the same results more efficiently indoors?



Because … wait for it… he can’t. There are all kinds of benefits to getting outside and moving rhythmically for sustained periods of time (endurance training), that aren’t replicated through HIIT training. He knows it. I know it, and so does everyone who gets outside and moves in some way or another for a decent length of time.



That’s not to say that I’m against HIIT training. I do it myself. But as a supplement to endurance training, not as a replacement. It does not and cannot serve as a replacement. I just wish he’d make that clear to our guests.

Michael: Going Solo

 

A meditation

Through the dry brush and creek bed

Gives me peace of mind.

 Wednesday, October 23, 2019



After thirty years, I gave up riding motorcycles about six years ago. Like many things I’ve given up along the way of life, I’ve seldom looked back with regret or feel a longing to resume what I’ve left behind. Riding was exhilarating and I enjoyed it for the most part, but the heightened danger was always hard to deny and as my last motorcycle was also an active participant in trying to kill me, giving it up wasn’t all that difficult of a decision.



Now my wife and I share a car; a Honda CRZ. We’ve been doing this for over a year and it’s worked out pretty well, particularly since we work together and can ride share most days. Having only one car expense really helps save money. For a while she was pushing for a second car, but the financial benefits of just getting by with one vehicle are pretty hard to argue against.



I had thought of getting a large scooter as a second vehicle. I’ve had a couple before and enjoyed them. But as far as safety goes, they’re really no different than motorcycles, so I’ve nixed that idea.



But through the magic of modern technology and a look down the youtube rabbit hole, a third way may have emerged. Could we have a second vehicle that’s not as expensive as a car that’s also not a two wheeled death trap?



Perhaps. And that’s where the Meccanica Solo comes in. It’s a three wheeled all electric vehicle that’s classified as an autocycle, meaning that it doesn’t require a helmet or motorcycle license to operate. It’s seems to be almost ideal as a second vehicle. It’s relatively inexpensive at about $15k, takes up very little space, and would seem to provide some of the joys of motorcycle driving while also providing the comfort of an enclosed and air conditioned capsule.



The downsides are that even though it’s not a motorcycle it’s still much smaller than the hulking SUVs and trucks out there that would squash it like a bug in a high speed collision. It’s reliability is also unproven and I’m sure any repairs or maintenance will be costly and time consuming. And even though it’s relatively inexpensive, $15k is still nothing to sneeze at.



Still, I’ve put a $250 refundable deposit down on one. Though I’m in no hurry for that order to come through. The longer it takes the more I have time to think about it and gather information about what others think about their experience with this interesting little vehicle that I may be driving someday.

Michael: Threes

 The blistering heat

Is worn like a straight jacket

In an open jail.

 Monday, October 21, 2019



At Saturday’s Rocky Peak 30k I had a reversal of fortune.



Two weeks ago at the Monrovia half marathon I won with a time that would’ve had me in third last year. Saturday I came in third with a time that would’ve had me winning the previous two Rocky Peak 30ks. That’s the way the luck of the draw works. Sometimes it’s not about you, it’s about who shows up.



I did beat my goal time of three hours by a minute so I’m pretty pleased. Again, I ran a smart race, prepared well and made good decisions as far as logistics and equipment go. Never sure how long I’ll be able to keep this up, but still up beat about getting out there and giving it the old college try and I suppose in many ways, that’s what counts. 



As another little fantasy feather in my cap, somebody running the 50k, that started 30 minutes ahead of the 30k, recognized me as I passed by and shouted out, “Is that Michael Becker?”.  They recognized me because I’m one of the few runners that wear gloves. I’ve always wished that someday somebody I didn’t know would identify me at a race. It’s a goofy little ego thing I’ll admit, but it still felt good.

Michael: The Pack

 Santa Ana winds


Sweep down the mountain passes

Searching for a spark.

 Tuesday, October 8, 2019



My wife, dog and I considered ourselves a pack. Well, what exactly our dog thinks, I can’t say, but I feel I’m making a pretty good inference by the way she behaves.



And I feel both proud and guilty about that. Proud because she’s such a great dog and I feel honored that she trust me and treats me so well. Also, I think we take pretty good care of her. She gets quality food, care, she sleeps inside and has a decent sized yard to roam free in during the day.



But I also feel guilty that we’ve never allowed her to have another dog as a companion. We also don’t let her off leash like a lot of other people do around here. It wouldn’t hurt if we also took to the dog park a bit more so she could be better socialized.



I realize all these thoughts probably seem pretty self-indulgent around most of the world, and I’m sure most people think we’re crazy here with how we treat our dogs as our companions. I’m on the fence about that. Yes, we may treat dogs a little too well. But is that a sign of social deficiencies we have with other people or a sigh on tenderness toward other living creatures? I’d like to lean toward the latter.

Michael: The Challenger

Cold fingers of mist

Reach into the canyon floors

Before the silence.

 Wednesday, October 9, 2019



There’s an old expression that goes; “Go with what brought ya.” What brought me were the Inov8s Terraultra 260s. But I’m not going with them at next Saturday’s Rocky Peak 30k.



Why?



Not because they’re in any way deficient. In fact they’re my favorite trail shoe I’ve ever had and I plan on buying at least one more pair before the year’s out. So why change? Because, at this stage of the game I don’t feel comfortable trying to do anything longer than a 50k in one shoe and I need to find a second shoe for the Sycamore 100k in February. At that race I’ll use the 260s for the first 50k.



But what about the second half of that race? Initially I was going to use the Hoka Torrents, which are also a great shoe that I have worn and had a lot of success with this year. But at the Bull Dog 50k I was wearing those when I DNFed. And although I don’t blame the shoe as my heels were already injured. It’s hard for me now to disassociate those shoes from the pain in my heels that day and the stress of not finishing.



It also give me a decent rational for buying more shoes. So now I’m going to try out the Hoka Challenger ATR 5 wide version. In the store they felt good and after an initial 13 mile training run I was very pleased. They’re more cushioned than the Torrents and just about as light.



They’re not as snug or as lithe as the Inov8s, and they also fee a bit more sloppy than the both the Inov8s and the Torrents, but I’m counting on the extra cushioning and the profile of the course to offset those deficiencies.



They do offer quite a contrast in profile relative to the Inov8s and that’s a big plus. After 50k I think it’ll be wise to go from a zero drop to a 5 mil with a bit of a rocker profile to change the stresses on my body. I’ve done it in past races with success, so I’m going to keep on doing that. Guess, in some way, I am still going with what brought me. 

Michael: Lightning Stirkes Twice

 Almost everyday

I’ve been lucky enough to see

The deer in the fields.

 Sunday, October 6, 2019



Coming off my first DNF in over 5 years, I was hoping for a good, pain free performance, getting my second overall win of the year while I’m 61 feels pretty damned special.



I will say that there’s always more than my fair share of luck that goes into a win. I’m not strong enough to compete with the elites. But the circumstances were right yesterday, and thankfully none of those people were running in my race.



And that’s also one of the keys for an older trail runner to do well; run in the shorter of multiple races if that’s happening. Yesterday I ran in the Monrovia half marathon while there was also a 30k event. At least 5 of those runners were ahead of me when I hit the half marathon turn around.



For me, for some body changing reasons, I’ve also found it to be extremely helpful to arrive as early as possible. It used to be that I would go to the bathroom once at home then once upon first arriving at the event. But now my body has decided it wants two visits to the porta-pottie before race start. To allow time to avoid that last minute long line and give myself time to warm up, I’ve got to be one of the early birds. Kind of a pain, but essential to compete comfortably.



That’s also where being an old man comes in handy. I go to bed early and wake up early every day. Race day changes are pretty minor and really just amount to different clothes and my usual application of race elixers. Otherwise I’m not up that much earlier and I eat the same breakfast as I always do.



Experience also helps. I do a much better job now of staying within myself as opposed to getting caught up with all the rabbits in their nervous sprinter like starts. Experience also helps me get through what aid stations I’ve decided to stop at in a relatively calm and efficient manner.



The win yesterday was fortunate. Honestly, I thought I would have a better chance of winning the 30k event at the Rocky Peak races in a couple of weeks. That’s also the shorter of two races. The winner of the 30k hasn’t broken 3 hours and that seems doable to me. But again, it’ll all depend on who shows up, feeling great on race morning and being one of the early birds when the gates open.

Michael: On the Horizon

 A light drizzle falls

Dampening the skies and my

Spirit to travel.

 Saturday, September 28, 2019



I haven’t raced in over a month and my last race was a DNF which always makes the next race a bit edgier. That race will also be a new one for me in an area I’ve never run in before, Monrovia, which should also slightly ratchet up the nerves. Still believe it should be a good time and I’m going to shoot for under 2 hours which should also place decently high up on the leaderboard.



Given that my training has mostly consisted of hiking at work with just a few run and ride outings, I should probably tamper down on my expectations, but I’m feeling very good and enthusiastic after having such a good experience hiking part of the Colorado Trail.



A bit of a downer is that the day after the race I wanted to run a track mile in spikes and shoot for close to 5:30. But I’m going to back out do to lack of specific training this last month and a half. That more than likely means putting off a track race until next year. A bit bummed about that but I don’t want to get out there and just go through the motions.



Fortunately, I’ll be returning to my primary work location at the Four Seasons which has a very good gym and I can start working on the treadmill and using weights again. Strength and speed go so quickly, particularly at my age.



I also feel that working on the treadmill, or doing sprints outside, which I should’ve been doing while I didn’t have access to the gym, becomes more important as we age. Speed leaves our muscles so quickly and takes so long to work back. The form improvements have carried over for me and allowed me to be a better trail runner.

But that time off is history I can’t do anything with now. I’ll just have to fight to get back what I can one speed workout per week at a time.

Michael: The Trail Runway

Her muzzle was white

Though her eyes and teeth remain

Bright, strong and fearless.

 Friday, September 20, 2019



At my work we’re suppose to stick to the basics; black, grey and white. And for years now it seems that running apparel was following suite going with just a few more basic solid color offerings.



But finally a few companies are trying to brighten things up out there, which is like a breath of fresh air (pun intended) out on the trails.



I don’t understand why it’s taken so long given that in the road bike community men have been flaming lycra fashionistas for years now. It’s just strange to me how some people will not make the cross cultural dress change over even though they engage in both activities. It’s like why dress sassy on a bike but not on the trails?



Well finally Nike is throwing caution to the wind and really daring us to get our snap together out on the trail runways. Other companies have long had shoes that were pretty bold, including Nike’s own Easter egg colored Kigers, and a few companies like BOA, La Sportiva and Janji have offered some pretty fun offerings, but Nike is really stepping it up with almost complete head to toe trail pimp wear.



I like it. I’m not always going to want to strut like a peacock out there. But every now and then it’s kind of fun to be another animal out there strutting our stuff and demanding a little attention.



If I had a decent roar or even an amusing squawk I’d toss that in every once in a while as well.

Michael: Seemingly Perfect

The hunters were there

With their high powered crossbows

Walking on the trails. 

 Tuesday, September 17, 2019



I was a bit jittery about doing the Silverton to Durango section of the Colorado Trail since I hadn’t done a solo hike in over 5 years, but the trip was a real confidence builder and went off almost without a hitch…almost.



Fortunately, the glitches were slight, manageable and even mildly comedic.



The smallest of glitches had to do with not packing something I hadn’t seen come up in any of the youtube hiking videos. That was a decent size nail file. By my third day out I had some pretty good size calluses on both heels that were causing some discomfort. This wasn’t surprising given that I generally file my calluses down every couple of days. So put another small item on the gear checklist because I overlooked it this time round.



And although I thought I had prepared decently for the cold nights at over 10k feet by buying a new inflatable mattress and pillow, I was slightly off. Although they worked great and I’ll use them again, my old sleeping bag was just slightly under filled. It was originally rated for 30 but given that’s about what the temps on a few of the nights were, I’m presuming that rating was either originally a bit optimistic or after hanging in there for over 15 years, it’s lost a bit of it’s loft.  I’ll definitely look into replacing it if I’m up that high again or in that kind of cold.



I was also thinking of ditching the idea of using a bivy again as it’s pretty damned cramped, and some of the single ultra-light tents are pretty damned light now a days. But There were a few nights where it was pretty windy and I could see the advantages of having such a low profile and small footprint. Again, I will probably replace what I have with a slightly sturdier and heavier version if I’m going to be that high up or in that cold of weather.



My pack was also at it’s limits. And therefore, if I’m going to make a few tweaks in equipment going to slightly larger gear, I’m also going to have to get a slightly bigger pack.



One advantage and offset of getting a more durable bivy will be that I can ditch the light but bulky foam pad I used to protect the delicate bivy I used on this trip.



So there’s the domino theory in action; although the trip seemed to have gone exactly as planned logistically, I’ll be making what could be considered major overhauls in equipment next time I get out there under similar conditions. I don’t see it that way. These are just minor (but costly) tweaks that come with getting out there and learning what my equipment and I are capable of. We worked well together this time out. And it makes me anxious to get back out there and see what I’ll learn and how whatever new equipment I get will perform together.

Michael: Nothing But Blue skies

 Sparkles of berries

Enliven our summer walks

Through our own backyard.

 Monday, September 2, 2019

As a professional hiking guide (my main qualifications for that is I’m getting paid.), almost every week I give our guests the rundown on our hiking protocol. Occasionally, I’m also asked to give the “lions, tigers and bears; Oh My!” speech, where we talk about how really safe they are out there and there’s just not that much to be afraid on the trail, particularly when you compare it to the hazards of the city.



But now, as I approach my first solo hike in over 5 years, I’m getting a bit of the eebie-jeebies myself. But it’s got nothing to do with animal attacks. No, as this will be my first foray at sustained high altitude, much of it above tree line, I’m a bit concerned about afternoon thunder showers and the lightening that goes along with them.



In Panama, I got use to big lightening strikes, but we lived down at 5,000 ft. and were surrounded by much higher peaks and plenty of other buildings and trees taller than us, so I never worried about being the shortest distance between the sky and the ground. But out on the Colorado trail things could be much different.



I’m sure just as with the lions, tigers and bears, my fears are greatly exaggerated, but this is giving me a very good lesson in empathy for those who come to us and worry about rattlesnakes. 

Michael: The Jaws of Bees

The Jaws of Bees: Saturday, August 31, 2019



Our prayers were heard.

God is looking out for us;

Giving us cover.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

 

While not quite a Jainist (is that right?), I have been a vegetarian now for just about 40 years originally starting from the moral premise; the least you should try to do ethically is to do no harm.



Yet I found myself once again amused by the growing casualty rate of bees my dog chomps on while we walk. On rare occasions she has killed much larger prey; a squirrel and a rabbit, and although I didn’t chastise her for those, I also didn’t find them amusing. In fact they were sad not only for the loss of life, but for the suffering the animals endured as she kill them, for their deaths were not instantaneous.



I suppose since I myself will occasionally knock off an insect, particularly if it’s in the process of trying to do me harm, I don’t empathize with the bees as much as I do my fellow mammals. Yet the bees are just minding their own business when our dog will, seemingly at random, choose to hunt one down. And, I confusedly confess, it’s this random leap of attack that triggers my amusement.



To see our 60 lb. lab/pit bull mix lunge at such a small creature as if it were a mortal enemy makes me chuckle. And that should probably make me wonder about my own state of mind. And it does… a little.

Michael: Bound to Happen

A breath of slumber

Takes in the cool damp breeze that

Seeps into your dreams.


 Monday, August 26, 2019



On Saturday I had my first DNF in 5 years. Although I had sworn earlier that wasn’t going to happen again, for this race it wasn’t completely unexpected.



At my last 50k at the end of July, I bruised my heels pretty badly. A mistake that may have been caused by not using my usual Superfeet green insoles. I’ve been trying to work through recovering while still maintaining enough training to go after the age group record for the Bull Dog 50k on Saturday. I thought maybe if I got through it fast enough I’d be off my feet before the pain really kicked in. I was way off.



I did the first loop of the two loop course in 2:08, which was faster than my time in the 25k last year of 2:14. But my left heel was bothering me on the downhill and when it got worse on the uphill of the second loop I felt my day was going to either end in further injuries or end prematurely. I decided to pull the plug at the 21 mile mark.



In the past most of my DNFs involved some kind of emotional trauma. This was a purely rational decision that I feel will allow me to heal properly so I can get back into the flow of training as soon as my heel’s recovered.



I’ll take my time and try to maintain my cardio vascular fitness bicycle riding and keep up my running form by doing speed work. I also have a few days left of work before going on a 6 day hiking trip to Colorado. There, I only plan on walking. When I return I’ll see how the heel feels and go from there. But it’ll only be races less than 30k for the rest of this year. 

Michael: The Man I Forgot to Forget About

Innocent mistakes

Like silent raindrops falling

Into her coffee.

 Monday, August 12, 2019



There are quirky people you meet under quirky circumstances that you figure you’ll never encounter again, so though you think that moment will make an indelible impression, but it both kind of does and doesn’t.



For example, about 7 years ago when I was training for the first ever Backbone Ultra I did a marathon training run that ended at the three road junction at the Louis Ewen Overlook. There an older Japanese gentleman greeted me and began to tell me how he use to be a marathon runner and that I should train for one since it looked like I had the right body type. I tried to explain to him that I had just finished a marathon to get to the point we were both sharing, but that didn’t seem to stop or even slow his continued advocacy of how and why I should take up marathon training.



Since I didn’t run into him again for years I completely forgot about that incident until last Wednesday. Then I was riding my bike up Shueren toward that very same point as he was walking down that street. He greeted me with a thumbs up, not recognizing me. But with a flash I recalled who he was.



I’m sure after a few more rides and runs past that point I’ll once again forget meeting him until the next time we cross paths.

Michael: Junk

Simultaneous

We breathe next to each other

My wife and best friend.

Junk: August 6, 2019



I don’t enjoy giving talks, particularly when my idea of what would be an interesting talk is rejected and I’ve got to wing it.



At work I usually have dinner with the guests on Saturday night. On that night a prepared talk is given on their VO2 test and Bod Pod results by one of the persons in charge of giving those tests. But I was switched to Friday night where a full timer usually talks about diet and exercise. I was semi-prepared for this and submitted a speech to my boss about why I believe endurance training is important. That speech was rejected.



That left me with a day to come up with something to talk about related to diet. Thank God for Google. I decided to briefly describe the differences between a few diet types; plant based, veganism, whole food, and vegetarianism. That’s short, pretty straight forward, and pretty non-political.

I didn’t receive a standing ovation but I wasn’t booed off the stage either, so good enough for now.



What I’d really like to talk about is why, with all the information we have available, are people still not making wiser decisions about issues related to their long term health. I’ve ordered a book; The Fitness Mindset, which I hope will give me some insight that I can pass along to our guests when I’m called upon again to give a talk.