Michael: Conspicuous Consumption

The buzz of a fly;
The occasional bird song;
Otherwise silence.

Friday, September 28, 2018

When we were living in Panama, I vowed to only purchase 4 pairs of shoes per year. I’ve blown through that barrier in less than two months here, and now I’m afraid there’s no looking back.

Within the last two months I’ve purchased New Balance Sonics (on sale at Running Warehouse - RW), Hoka Speed Instincts (also on sale at RW), Hoka Torrents ( at RW minus their 10% discount) and Hoka Speedgoat 2s at Fleet Feet for 10% off.

Naturally, no purchase is without at least a minimum of necessary rationalization, though thankfully Kimme no longer questions me about my foot fetish fancies, so long as I throw a pair her way once in a while.

So here goes; The Sonics are for road racing and duathlons. Just last week I used them as my second shoe in a du at Camp Pendleton and I’ll use them again in a couple of weeks for the RAD 10 miler in Agoura Hills.

The Speed Instincts are my Monday trail running shoes. The Torrents are  my short to medium trail racing shoes and, what I was hoping would be my long racing shoes - the Speedgoats - are now going to serve as pinch hitters - in long trail races where a drop bag is allowed. I was hoping that the Speedgoats would serve as my primary shoes in 50ks and up, but despite having more cushioning, the Torrents just fit my feet better. At the end of the month I’m going to use them at the Rocky Peak 50k and if they work there, I’ll feel good about going with them over the Speedgoats. But if they let me down I’ll move the Speedgoats up in the batting order, and if they don’t work, it’s back to the reviews, REI, RW, and whatever promise land of foot comfort is on the horizon.

Michael: Muscle Memory

Shimmering green leaves
On the lonely sagebrush trail
Reminds us to live.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Last Saturday was my first duathlon in 4 years and coming in 6th and really enjoying the experience has me pumped up for adding more dus into next year’s calendar.

This was almost a sheer muscle memory test as I’ve only ridden my tri bike 3 times this year, and that was predominantly as equipment checks. Fortunately, my muscles’ memories were decent enough as my cerebral memory let me down a bit, or I would’ve done slightly better.

And this is where numbers can be deceptive. According to the numbers, I actually gained time during the transitions as opposed to 4 years ago and lost time on the bike and first run. I’ll concede the loss on the first run (Though I’m pretty pleased with still holding to a 21 minute last 5k over a 4 year time lapse. Not bad for a 60 year old.) But I know I didn’t lose as much on the bike as the clock indicates.

And this where the cerebral failure comes into play. Outside of the transition area, I struggled to get my foot into my bike shoe. Why? Because I forgot my old trick of holding my shoe up with a rubber band so I don’t have to play with trying to pull it up into an easy position while trying to slide my foot in. I also didn’t start off riding with my feet on top of my shoes and build up a little momentum and then coast and be moving forward while I put my feet into my shoes. Both of these lapses cost me time on the bike that really were transition mistakes.

Still, I probably lost about a minute on the bike compared to 4 years ago. But being stubborn and cranky (pun intended), I’m not willing to chalk that time loss up to age just yet. As compared to 4 years ago, I didn’t do any brick work and have cut my bike training rides from three per week to two. But I feel the biggest difference between now and then was not training with a group at all this year as opposed to regularly training with Holger’s L.A. Tri Club group on Saturdays four years ago. I’m not sure I’ll be able to fit that in, going into next year’s training, but I’m sure that would make more of a difference than anything else I could do to improve next season.

Still, all considered, I was very pleased with doing so well after such a long lay off and tickled about getting back into such a joyful sport.

Michael: Choices

In the sea of white
Dark angels are whispering
Sirens to the lost.

Monday, September 17, 2018

At this stage of the game choosing a race is looking for what’s local, what’s interesting, what haven’t I done before, and what haven’t I done well in before.

For example, although I finished fifth in the 2nd annual Valencia Trail 50k, because I got lost for a decent amount of time, when I received an email from that race for an early bird special I was strongly considering signing up. I just wanted to make sure I’d have enough recovery time from another revenge race, the Sycamore 100k, to compete decently. The Sycamore is at the end of February and the Valencia race is at the end of March, so case closed.

But when I went to sign up the sign up server was down. Out of curiosity, I thumbed through what other races were occurring in SoCal at the end of March. Turns out the Nine trails 35 miler is in that time frame. I’ve never run a 35 miler before, at least on purpose, so I decided to look into it.

Turns out it seems like both an old and formidable challenge. It wasn’t run this year due to the Thomas Fire, but the director promises to have it up and running again next year.

Outside of a new challenge, what I find intriguing about this race is the spread between the best time of 5:35 and the best time in my age group (60+) 9:18. And that 9:18 has stood since 1991. A record where there’s almost a 3 hour time difference between the gazelles and the old goats calls for a reckoning. So Valencia’s going to have to be put off for another year.
I’ve got to sign up for this Nine Trails race as soon as registration opens and see which one of is more ornery. I haven’t DNFed since 2014, and I plan on keeping it that way, but Nine Trails must be a real butt kicker.

Michael: Returning the Favor

Murmurs of the rain
Carried down the dry creek bed
On a summer wind.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Like many people nowadays, I buy many of my shoes and other trail and running goodies on-line. But since Jeff at Fleet Feet saved me by having a booth set up at Bulldog with vests to try out (I left my bottle at home.), and the store was close to my work and they were offering 10% off (the same as Running Warehouse), what the heck?

They also had the next shoe model I want to give a tryout; the Hoka Speedgoat 2. Only problem is not in the color I wanted. I want the flashy yellow. I’ve got plenty of race attire to match that color scheme. But all Fleet Feet had was the grey and red; a pretty mundane combo and difficult to build an outfit with flare around.

But I’m going to give it a go if the shoes pass my initial trial runs and I don’t return them. But now outfitting is going to require at least new socks and a shirt; which really ought to be included in the hidden cost of shoes that don’t have the right color scheme. And these shoes, even with the discount, are Hokas, not quite up there in the outrageously expensive category as some Salomons, but not that far behind.

Gray and red… I wanted to be a bit flashier. Oh well, at least in short races the Torrents, in their light green flavor, holds out some promise of panache.

Michael: Thai Massage

It’s a cruel world
Where disabled veterans
Survive on cardboard.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Outside of bicycle accidents, I have been extraordinarily fortunate in avoiding injuries, though my recent push, as I’ve turned 60, to compete often and well has left me with a strained hamstring.

And with another challenge just over a week away, deciding between rest, working out, and using other methods of rehabilitation have been foremost on my mind.

One of those methods is massage, which I haven’t done on a regular basis for over 10 years. And my last regular masseuse was a small Philippina woman whom I developed a long term deep tissue/S&M bi-weekly enticing/dread relationship with. Fortunately or not, we don’t live near that neighborhood anymore where it would even be worth the long shot call to see if she’s still in the business.

Here, we’re within walking distance of a Thai massage place that has very reasonable rates, so what the heck?

I’m not sure the combo. Swedish/Thai massage I received from Lila last week was therapeutic for my hamstring but it did feel both good, worrisome and different; kind of a amalgam of ballet, performance art, chiropractic maneuvers, contortionism and wrestling. But I liked it and will be back for more.

Michael: Updated Checklist

Within my day dreams
Ten minutes of clarity
Is all I ask for.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Due to my recent goof in forgetting a water bottle at home before a race, I’ve decided to update my “Less Than One Day’s Travel; Short Race Checklist”. Hopefully I won’t be adding any items to it in the near future.

Clothes: On Body:
-socks -Body glide
-shoes -nipple guards (band aids)
-shorts -Topical Edge
-shirt -Heat
-gloves
-hat Fuel/Hydration:
-watch -Pack
-race belt -gels/chews/bars
-necklace -electrolytes
-warm up pants -Run Gum
-warm up jacket

Logistics: Research:
-Directions -Course profile
-Registration info. -Weather
-Re-set alarm -Terrain
-Breakfast ready -Plausible finish time
-Gas in car -aid stations
-Coffee or know coffee stop
-Water/food in car
-Carry or hide key?

Misc.:
-toilet paper
-phone
-I.D.
-Cash
-card
-towel
-flashlight
-pen to write contact info. On bib
-towelettes/hand sanitizer

Michael: 4 for 4

Chocolate bulldog
Lunges at the marble cat
With intent to kill.

Monday, September 3, 2018

The Pier to Peak on Sunday concluded my fourth race in three weeks. That was a lot of fun, and though I wouldn’t rule out a stacked schedule like that again, I feel it would be wise to avoid it. I’d like to continue to perform well in every race I schedule, and though my ego, obstinacy and intelligence are still duking it out, it finally feels like I’m going to wise up and start spreading my races out a bit more.

But I did it. In the four races no one my age or older came in front of me and I would’ve been competitive in most age groups in most of the races. I also accomplished my goal of setting the age group record at Bulldog, so I’m halfway to my goal of trying to hold both the 25k and 50k age group records. Hopefully, I’ll be healthy enough next year to go after the 50k mark.

An interesting note about the differences between the Bulldog trail race and the Pier to Peak road challenge is the composition of the competition. At Bulldog I came in 10th overall and at P2P I came in 43rd, yet there was virtually the same amount of older men in front of me at both races that both included fields of about 300 runners. At P2P one 40 year old, one 50 year old, and 6 women beat me. At Bulldog, four 40 year olds, and one woman beat me. That means the P2P road race  was stacked with a lot of younger, very fast competitors compared to Bulldog, and a lot more strong women runners. That’s only two races which I know isn’t much of a scientific sampling. But I always find such comparisons interesting to look at.

Also of note was my wife’s encouraging yet keep me grounded support. When I told her about the logistics of this race and that I would need to do this race in about 2:15 to get to work on time, and that I was basing this time on last year’s best time by a 60 year old, she was hesitant to throw her full support behind my ability to do this. Again, like my comparisons of the two races mentioned above, she thought I was drawing on an awfully small sampling to jump to a conclusion of what I could plausibly expect to accomplish. She proffered that that old dude could’ve been a fluke; an age group super-hero. And of course, she could’ve been right. And I was full of … for not investigating further and basing my time on over confidence.

But out on the course she pulled off on the side of the road when it was safe to do so to give me support and encouragement without any hints of doubt. And, somewhat paradoxically, I know without her being there I wouldn’t of done nearly as well as I did - a 2:08:39, well under the 2:15 I was shooting for.