yogging

picture thanks to someone's facebook, hopefully they don't mind....
my buddy jason modified it slightly....

anyway, i went out to mountain mist with the mission of "winning."
honestly i knew there were probably 3 guys for whom a horrible race was still better than my best day, but the week before the race i was trying to decide what strategy would give me the best shot.
i humorously told several people at the start that i was going to start in the lead and not let anyone by me.

unfortunately this only lasted about 3/4 mile, because david riddle saw me go off the front and he is for real.

that being said, after the first couple of slight inclines i knew this was not my day. everything i would normally charge up, i was red-lining on. by 3 miles more than 10 people had passed me, and i was wondering where this day was going????

i reached the first aid station (at 6 miles) in 15th place. it wasn't a particularly slow time, but my legs were not sprightly at all. i was trying to decide what plan B should be. i kept pushing, knowing that plan B was to give it my all, even if it was a slow time.

i took it easy on the first big climb of the day, and decided i would just have to go slow for a bit and regroup. i did this, but was soon let down by the results....i had figured if brought the tach down a bit i would get in a groove and start picking people off. instead i was still getting passed! not blown off the trail, but passed none the less.

when i reached half way, someone noticed my "i'd rather be sprinting" shirt, and commented that i was moving pretty fast.....i just mumbled that "something's gotta change!"

soon there after i caught my great friend byron backer and i said, "man, i'm gonna have to eat some humble pie tonight!"

byron's response was just what i needed to hear.
"you're moving ok. you're in 17th, the others aren't that far ahead, i'd say you can catch 10 of them if you keep your head in it."

byron is the man, i've shared alot of miles with him, and the dude is just awesome. he has more experience at going out hard than anyone else i run with. and that comment was perfectly true.

i replied, "thanks for the encouragement, just gotta regroup and keep the head in it."

from there on, i wasn't floundering anymore. i still didn't have the normal legs, but i found my groove. down to the land trust and up waterline, and then mounted somewhat of an attack in mackay's hollow. by the end i had worked back to 12th, and although it was the 3rd slowest of my 9 finishes at the mist, i gotta say it was one of my better efforts. 4:53.

post script:
after spending the last 3 days in bed, i realize that my body was trying to race, and fend off illness out there on the course. i couldn't climb because my immune system was in over drive.

since barkley is the real focus, this is a little comforting, knowing that the 4:53 wasn't due to being out of shape, but probably was influenced alot by the cold that was trying to nail me.

thanks to byron i get to be happy with my effort. the more time out there and the more maturity gained, the easier it will become to regroup and keep the head in it.

shoes

so here are some pictures of 3 pairs of new balance 152s.
they have 100, 1000, and 2000 miles on them.
notice the hole underneath the big toe in the most worn pair.
of course, i have some insoles in there to run in those ones, although they are now relegated to slow runs of less than 3 miles.




i started wearing racing flats because it is hot in georgia in the summertime, and my old shoes (and socks) held the heat in really well. i got to hating hot feet, and i found some light weight shoes on the clearance rack....tried them out, and found that the light shoes also have very breathable, light weight uppers. perfect for shedding heat. i also started wearing my shoes a half size too big, so that there was more room for air to circulate inside the shoe. along the same vein i stopped wearing socks. now i am so used to them that i wear them the same year round.

i wear these shoes with just the included insoles for about the first 250-400 miles, then the EVA is sufficiently compacted, and the upper stretched enough, that i put in spenco insoles. usually a 1/8" thick insole.....then after 800-1000 miles the shoes are compacted even more, and i switch to a 1/4" pair of insoles.
i am on the original 1/4" insoles still, these things last forever....probably have 3000+ miles on that single pair of 1/4" insoles.

the only thing these shoes aren't great for is trails with sharp rocks, at least when they are really worn. that being said, i raced mountain mist in them this year, and since i was running hard and concentrating on the trail, they were ok.
i would not want to run a trail race longer than 50 miles in then, because after 50 miles i would rather have more padding on the feet than light, breathable shoes. more padding so that when i am tired i don't have to concentrate so much on foot placement.
on roads i wore them for the mother road 100 (at least the last 80 miles). and i wore a previous version (the NB RC 550's) for more than 200 miles of the vol state 500km a couple years ago.

i've still got a couple pairs of these stored under the bed, so it'll be 2011 before i really need more shoes, especially is these MT100's work out well for some trail running.

initial thoughts on the MT100:
that rock plate decreases the flexibilty of the shoe significantly.
i use a razor to slice the shoe in several places, and regain that flexibilty.
i've done this to many shoes in the past, and it doesn't cause them to split like one might think.
after a few more runs in the MT's i'll post again on that.

fall?

it feels like fall is close, there have been a couple cool days and nights.

the goal as it stands is to prove that starting the business and running alot at the same time is possible.

the business is coming along at mach 4, one big job completed a couple weeks ago, and 2 more in process......

the running is solid but not stellar, 50 mile weeks are doable but 65-70 seems out there.

this fall/winter are available for big games, should i be ready and equipped for them....
run across north georgia,
NC to springer speed,
100 miles on the track,

thus far the regular 9-12 mile trail runs at cochran shoals and the 15.4 mile home loop in athens are the places for work to be done, just need to get from 4-5 days/week to 5-6 days/week.
and need to be ok heading out for long ones on the weekends.....not easy, but fun.

most amazing: level of productivity/effectiveness now compared to any time in the past.....it is higher, period.

peace,
carl

busy

busy as heck, man.
1. running the lathe, laser and EDM for tech.
2. busting out numerous hours for www.sentrinsic.com
(even brought scott down for a little paycheck)
3. some time prototyping pedals,
4. thinking about a bicycle horn that rivals a car horn and mounts inside the handlebar (rechargeable Li-ion, easy swap-out).
5. special wrenches for Trek dropouts.
6. and maybe some barkley preparations....


prototype sweet pedal. this one is light!
fun stuff.
need to make fixtures for manufacturing 4 or 8 at a time....

mom's flower, nicely done!

barkley update, t-minus 5 days....

tree frog and caesars head

ran byron's idea of the caesars head double marathon yesterday.
furman to jones gap state park, up to caesars head state park, then back down to furman.
48-50 miles in 8:30 or so. quite a rainy day. fun stuff, and churned out the last 15 or so at 7:30-8:00min/mi pace. felt good and the legs are A1 today. nice confidence boost, and really enjoyed the time out there.

side note: saw my first tree frog at the lake house tonight.
plenty of other wildlife all the time....king snakes, black racers, squirrels, deer, myriad birds, lizards, etc, but hadn't seen a tree frog...of course, technically this is a "gutter frog" since that's where i spotted him/her....

walking in the woods

friday evening i left atlanta and stopped at the walmart in dawsonville.
i got
a pound of roasted salted almonds
10oz beef jerky
16 imitation nutrigrain bars
12 hershey bars (with almonds)
a pound of skittles
some 55 gallons trash bags
a bic lighter
some AA batteries

i went back to the parking lot and divvied each the food into bags. 4 bags of each.
i stuffed my sleeping bag, pad, rain gear, and socks into my day pack, along with 3/4 of the food.
the fanny pack got 2 water bottles, 1/4 of the food, and my notepad, pen, chapstick, and lighter.

i drove to amicalola falls state park.
the plan was to hike to NC and back. 170 miles round trip. 4 days.

i slept in the van, and awoke to my alarm at 5:45. a few minutes more of sleep, then final preparations and water bottle filling at the ranger station.
6:14am and i'm off for the 8.5 mile climb to springer.
only the first 20 minutes require the headlamp.
arriving at springer mountain at 8:55am i find that there is now a "caretaker," Fred, who camps there, 10 days on, 4 days off. a talkative dude who hastens to strike up a conversation in the dense fog and mist.
i tell him that in 10-15 times being on top of springer i've only seen the view twice.
he details his schedule and inquires about my plans. i'm just out for 4 days, i say, but i'll be back.

over the next several miles i intersect the benton mackaye trail, and i contemplate this may's adventure ( runthebmt.wikispaces.com )
i manage to stay above 3mph even through the roller coaster of hightower gap, horse gap, cooper gap and another unnamed one.
these are the steepest most unforgiving on the AT in GA. they also coincide with a longish stretch without water...i forgot.
nearing gooch gap i scoop some water from a spring, and guzzle the goodness.

at 3:04pm i pop out at woody gap. my pace is strong, and without any stops i've managed to cover 28.5 miles in under 9 hours. considerably above 3mph, even with the 20 lbs on my back. i am pleased.
soon the back of my knee starts to talk to me. i ask him to quiet down and forge ahead. i sit for 1 minute at preacher rock. the view is too nice to pass without a pause. even in just 60 seconds the tendon in the knee tightens. i ease it out and work towards blood mountain. throughout the day i pass many who are just starting their personal journey of a THRU HIKE. just before jarrard gap i pass a couple with an aussie accent who are working hard. they ask me about the distance to a gap i've never heard of....i tell them there is a good camping spot less than a mile ahead and wish them luck. it interests me to see the different attitudes and style in these thru hikers every year.
i always judge them in my mind, "yep, she'll make it..." or, "no, not him." who knows if i am ever right?

at the base of blood mountain i get the almost obligatory question from a guy with a pack.
if anyone wonders what sport has sold itself best as the toughest, let there be no doubt. whenever i am moving well on the trail or roads, and someone gets personal and asks how far i am going, the most common follow up question is......"wow, so are you a TRIATHLETE?"
i chuckle and answer no, no, just a runner, jogger, hiker, as the case may be.

throughout the day i eat 3 nutrigrains, 3 hersheys, a handful of skittles, almonds, and jerky. probably 2000 calories. way less than i usually eat when i'm sedentary, but this hikng stuff keeps me busy. the hours fly by and i feel like i've only just begun to walk.

i am pleased to arrive at the summit of the second highest mountain georgia (and 38 miles) only a few minutes before sundown. i turn on my cell phone and check in with my family. my knee is hurting, but i don't mention it. they worry enough already. dad has some suggestions on training for the barkley, and is keenly interested in how the hike is going. i tell him i'll continue into the night and see how things go.

down the mountain towards neels gap the sun disapears and the nearly full moon emerges. significant pain, i bring out the phone again and voice my concern to dad's ears. he says that if it doesn't improve i shouldn't hesitate to call him for a ride tomorrow. i limp a little pathetically down to the road crossing.

the walisi-yi center at neels gap is an outfitters that doubles as a party scene for the month of march. there are at least 100 thru-hikers around, and a band has come up the mountain to play some cover songs for the aspiring adventurers. I contemplate marching on into the night, towards my goal of 42.5 miles per day, but i can't find the reason. i need to push myself, but a serious injury from too much pushing is not justified this close to the main event. i stop at 40, then lay out my pad and sleeping bag, and crawl in. i doze for several hours while the band and revelers use the night to their advantage. around midnight i actually fall asleep. the sky is clear and the moon bright. i awake and roll over every 45 minutes or so, when the hip gets sore.

i assume i will wake up early but am surprised when i wake up to real daylight. the clocks moved forward while i dreamt, but it's already 8am!
i quickly pack and look up trail and down.
with my knee talking so loudly i am hesitant to continue. surely i won't be able to maintain the pace, and i have to be back tuesday evening no matter what. i decide to turn around. better safe than sorry with the knee in this shape.

i go around blood mountain on the freeman trail, which is heinously rocky, and no quicker a route than the AT over the mountain. its endearing quality the the AT lacks here is plentiful rivulets of water. i drink and hydrate.

at bird gap i pass the campers who recognize me from the evening before. they have a happy camp. soon thereafter a runner passes me heading the opposite direction, i think to ask him what "endurance run" name is printed on his t-shirt, but he is gone before i muster the words.

my knee talks louder and louder, and my enthusiasm wanes. i think about hitch-hiking from woody gap back to amicalola, but know that that in itself would take all day, i'd have to find a ride to dahlonega, then to dawsonville, then to amicalola...no mean feat. i figure i'll just go 20 today and then 20 tomorrow and be back to the van. i don't like to sit down when i'm hiking...relentless forward motion is the name of the game, but i am tired and wimpy. i sit on a rock for a minute. along comes a woman runner, going my way. she spritely jumps over me and drops down the hill. i get up and think about all the times i have flown by this point, enjoying speed. i trudge on. a while later, as i cross a creek, i look back and see our resident internet fiend, and ultrarunner/poster extraordinaire, christian. he says, "there you are!" and runs on by.

i contemplate asking him for a ride to dahlonega, but think i should tough this out. I use him as a carrot and pick up my pace on this uphill, not losing much ground...but i am working for it. soon he calls back, "hey carl, if your knee is hurt, do you want a ride?"
"that's really enticing, i wish you hadn't asked," i reply. then, "let me think about it, i'll let you know in 3 miles when we're back at the road crossing."

the trail flattens out and his run spanks my walk. i know i can keep going, but my pace is slow, and i don't look forward to hiking until 2am to get back on a hurt knee, or stopping short and just doing 20 today...i decide that since christian lives in atlanta i can just give him my pack (with my overnight gear) and finish the hike with only my fanny pack.
this has several strong points:
1) i will finish 40 miles today, because without my gear i must make it all the way to the van.
2) i lose 12+ lbs of gear, decreasing the strain on my tendon
3) my legs still get the benefit of 80 miles in two days, with 20,000+' of gain and loss.
when i arrive at the road christian introduces me to devon and victor, the other two runners, and tells me, "sure," he can hold onto my bag. it turns out that he works about a mile from my friend's apartment in atlanta, so retrieving it later this week shouldn't be a problem.

ok, life is better. now instead of 40 miles, i have 29 to go. and no heavy pack. and the weather is fine. life is good. enjoy it and soak in the training benefit!

cruising south from woody gap i collect some water and spend 30 seconds wiping the cold wet all over my head and neck. ah, that feels good on this hot spring? afternoon.
still, 29 miles is 29 miles, and it's already noon. after gooch gap i remove my shoes and soak my knee in a cold creek. it is feeling better without the extra weight on it. two college students hike past, and one inquires after my new balance 152's. he says he wore the same shoes in his first marathon recently, but he is incredulous that i wear them on the trails. i tell him yes, they are magnificent trail shoes, and i have run 100 miles in them. he says he'll do his first ultra at the peachtree city 8 hour in may. i commend him on his well roundedness, since here he is out on the trails, preparing for an 8 hour race on a track!

now i return to the roller coaster of cooper, horse, hightower, and unnamed gaps. man these are tough! the sun hits my neck and i think about applying the tiny sunscreen tube i brought....but i procrasinate and end up never doing it (today my redneck proves it). i begin to tire, but arriving at three forks i can almost smell the barn. 12.5 miles to go and it is cooling off. i remember to eat and drink, but really i am burning mostly fat at this pace. my 200 lb frame surely is burning at least 6000 calories/day out here, and i'm only taking in 2000.

i reach springer mountain a few minutes before sunset. and there is a hopeful thru hiker sitting there alone with the beautiful scenery. I inquire about his plans, and he tells me he plans to hike both the AT and PCT this year. the first half of the AT now, then out west to do the whole PCT with his girlfriend, and then back to finish the AT. I take a picture for him with the sunset and the terminus plaque, and wish him the best of luck. what an adventure he is setting out on!

i pass a couple more hikers making their way to the springer mountain shelter, and then the sun sets and i am alone on the trail. i keep the headlamp in the fanny pack for an hour, enjoying the night vision. i pick up my pace, realizing i have a shot at finishing this return trip in the same time the outward bound trip took. i take off my shirt and glide through the woods in the slightly cool night breeze. it is freakin great! green eyes are startled by me 40 feet ahead, and the fox or bobcat scurries off.

the last 2 miles are more steeply downhill and a little more technical, so i give in and turn on the headlamp around 9pm. i won't quite do the return in the 13:01 it took me to go out.
my feet hurt for the last few miles, but aside from that i wouldn't mind going on. i still limp slightly from the knee tendon, but long ago stopped thinking about it. finally i am on the gravel road down the mountain. i turn on my cell phone (while i am up high and have coverage) to tell my parents i am safe.

at 9:28pm i walk up to the ranger station and put a dollar bill in the coke machine. although the sign says the drinks are sixty cents....i get a mr. pibb and 70 cents in return!
i walk over to the car and say, "thank you," to no one in particular.

what a weekend, how fun to walk!
carl

projects

foot traffic:
barkley - t-minus one month!
training to include 7 day 230 mile hike next week. intense.
(fueled by 2 lbs each of: peanuts, raisins, granola, beef jerky, skittles, and hershey's chocolate)
(i am gonna be dieing for a freakin hamburger!)

machine/inventor shop:
carbon fiber brake levers - lighter than campy, and for small hands. almost done.
carbon fiber trekking poles - under 4 oz. each, adjustable from 30"-50". still prototyping.
titanium/carbon fiber pedals - the idea has merit, gotta prototype. exciting.

actually getting paid for:
laser assisted machining research - prove that if you are cutting really hard metals then you can save money by hitting them with a laser just before they're cut...softening them and allowing them to be cut faster and with cheaper tooling.

fun busy times in laniak world.
deboomp, woman!
anybody know benial haley?