RunCommuting and Nearly Indecent Exposure

Last week I returned home to Seattle on a flight from SFO, and had decided I'd be as energy efficient/frugal as possible getting home from the airport.  While my original plan was to simply run home from the airport, the 20+ miles looked far less appealing when I realized I'd have to carry my garment bag with a suit in it in my hand, as it didn't fit in my medium-sized carry on bag/backpack.  So, I opted for the shorter run option and headed for the new Light Rail airport station, which would take me as far as downtown. 

There's something very freeing about running places when most would expect you to take a car.  I almost felt like some sort of a running superhero, as I had running clothes hidden underneath my blue jeans and shirt, ready to go when the opportunity came.  Now, this unfortunately led to a very awkward encounter on the light rail train car.  I chose a seat in the middle of the train where no one was sitting, and in this spot the train is very narrow and there are only 2 rows of seats, both facing inward and therefore facing each other.  As I rifled through my bag to get my running shoes, etc., 3 nice young gals sat down in the row directly in front of me (literally picture 3 inches between our knees...).  I then sat for a moment, pondering how to warn these women in such close proximity that I was about to remove my pants... or if I should say nothing, move quickly and just get it done.  I didn't want to get slapped or scare anyone, so I opted for a fair warning.  Not sure what to say, I just looked at them and kind of blurted, "So, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not a creep or anything, but I am about to take off my pants.  But not to worry!  I have running clothes on underneath."  The looks on their faces went through countless permutations during the short course of my warning- from shock to fear to confusion to perhaps a look of relief and amusement.  As I stood up and popped the button on my jeans, they responded, "wow, thanks a bunch for warning us!  We would've literally freaked out!"  We all laughed, and the crisis was averted. 

Anyway, despite the awkward changing experience, it was a great trip.  I got my bag packed up, and when we got to the Westlake station downtown, I was on the move!  While I can't say I'd recommend running 10+ miles with a garment bag in hand and a full pack, it worked alright, and like I said- it was very freeing to arrive back at our front door mostly under my own foot power.  Lessons learned- 1) Find or invent a wrinkle-free suit that I can smash into a pack and not worry about.  2) Always warn people before taking off pants.  3) Running is incredibly freeing and a very valid form of transportation.

Stroller Derby and Renewed Motivation

This past weekend I took our twin 10 month old girls out for their first official race- the Seattle Ghost Half Marathon.  I pushed them in our awesome jogging stroller, and despite the chilly temps they had a really fun time.  They laughed and we sang, and chatted much of the race- they hardly napped at all.  Not only that, but when it was all said and done, the girls finished as 2nd women overall (they tied each other)!  It is a real joy to get our girls outside every day and see the pure delight they have in simply getting outside and enjoying the crisp fresh air.

I haven't run any races or really any major training runs in quite a while, and this race with the girls was a really nice energy boost for me.  Perhaps I've been in a funk from a post-Rainier Triple Threat hangover of sorts.  I've gone through this sort of thing before; you are so focused on a single big event for so long, that when it's actually completed, it's pretty difficult to get motivated to move forward.  That said, my body was ready for a nice break anyway, and I feel fresh and ready to jump back into running more seriously in the coming weeks and months, and I'm excited about it.  I have no major plans in the works, but am excited to be back on the running train for the sheer joy of it. 

Carkeek 12 Hour 2010

I know it's been months (literally) since I've posted anything, but I have some great Triple Threat video and recap in process... hope to finish and post these very soon!

In the meantime, the annual Carkeek 12 Hour race is this Saturday, October 30!  If you're in the Seattle area and want to come out and cheer or join the fun, please join us.  We'd love to have you. 

Katrina Anniversary... What 5 Years Can Bring

Typically anniversaries are a time of celebration- celebrating a marriage or something similar, seems it's always the celebration of something's beginning. Therefore it seems a bit strange to celebrate an "anniversary" of Hurricane Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast and bringing such destruction and in essence an end to so many things. That said, 5 years ago yesterday Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast and changed the lives of countless people, including my own. As I think back on my role in the Katrina recovery and the intensity and singular purpose of my work there (helping people get back on their feet and in their homes), it becomes a bit easier to think of this anniversary as a time of celebration. While there is much recovery yet to happen on the coast (especially in light of the most recent BP travesty), there has also been much progress and the wonderful people there have emerged stronger and in many cases the necessity to rebuild has led to a rebirth of school systems, the arts, restaurants, tourism, etc.

I went down to the Gulf Coast in my dad's pickup truck loaded down with supplies to help out for "a few weeks" right after the hurricane hit 5 years ago. Little did I know that a few weeks would turn into months and then more than a year as I started a life-changing non-profit operation to rebuild homes through the Presbyterian Church in Bay St. Louis, MS. As this operation ramped up, I was recruiting volunteers from around the country and was soon employing upwards of 120 volunteers daily to work in the community free of red tape. For me personally, this was a very special time and although the work was harder than any I've ever done, the feeling of being exactly where you're supposed to be and helping others with your whole spirit was pretty incredible. Not only that, but I met my wonderful wife Kirsten on the coast, as she came down from Seattle to volunteer with the very first group of volunteers to my operation. I couldn't be happier with the way Hurricane Katrina changed the course of my life. Now 5 years later, not only are Kirsten and I happily married, but we have 2 beautiful baby girls who I can't help but think wouldn't be here if it weren't for Katrina. People often speak of looking for the silver lining when bad things happen, and 5 years out from Katrina the silver lining is more clear than ever. We still pray for recovery to continue on the coast and know that things will never be the same there, but I am also so grateful for the time we had on the coast and the way it altered the course of our lives forever. Here are a few pictures of my Katrina silver lining;

Rainier Triple Threat

Brock and I have been talking about tackling the Rainier Triple Threat for more than 2 years now. It's hard to believe that our bike tires hit the pavement this Friday morning. Please join us on Facebook and Twitter and commit to getting outside and enjoying your own adventures this weekend while we're out enjoying Rainier in all its glory. Find out more at Rainier Triple Threat .

For a teaser, here's a video of Brock and I on the Wonderland Trail last year (just one leg of the Triple Threat expedition this weekend);

Bighorn 100

This weekend was fantastic! My finishing time certainly wouldn't indicate that, but I couldn't have been happier with the hours I got to spend in the beautiful Bighorn mountains. It was strange to be away from my family for that period of time, and perhaps even more strange not to have my wife out on the course crewing for me, but it was a great trip, and we had a fantastic Father's Day when I got back on Sunday.

To give a brief summary, the race began Friday at 11am, and I started out fast (thanks to my Prefontaine 'stache), but not too fast. I watched the front runners rolling up the canyon, but stayed at a nice pace. I was still in the top 10 coming into the 30 mile mark, and still in that neighborhood at the 48 mile turnaround spot. I felt great, but could feel myself simply running out of energy (which I knew would happen eventually due to lower mileage training...). So I embraced the fatigue and moved on. Night fell just as I hit the turnaround, so I was fortunate enough to see the whole course in daylight. The night was clear, the stars bright, and the temps pretty chilly, but the night passed quickly. Saturday morning's dawn was spectacular, and I was surprised by a lovely red fox bounding past me up "the Wall." I vividly remember grubbing on some fantastic bacon at the Cow Camp aid station (mile 76), which fueled me well.

Toward the end, my body was completely cashed out of any possible energy reserves, but my mind kept pushing me on, even though I was moving slow. The last 5-6 miles are quite flat and on a gravel road, but with no energy left I had already resigned myself to the fact that I'd have to speed hike it the best I could. After just a few minutes of that though, I simply couldn't take it, and drew up energy from nowhere to really hammer those last miles in. I finished utterly spent, and incredibly happy.

It was fun to see my friend and teammate Mike Wolfe out on the course just eating it up. He ultimately destroyed the previous course record by 35-40 minutes... simply awesome. The wildlife was fantastic, the wildflowers abundant and vibrant, and the Bighorn Mountains were simply a thrill.

This was a great race for my mind, and I think it was a great first step in getting my body back to where I'd like it to be for actual 100 mile racing shape. Huge thanks to all the wonderful volunteers and race directors who made Bighorn such a special time!

Back on the 100 Mile Train

It’s been a while since I’ve run 100 miles. In my mind it’s “been a while,” but I had to look at the calendar to figure out just how long it’s been. The last time I ran over 100 miles was at the Ultracentric in November. The last time I ran an official mountain 100 mile race was Cascade Crest last August. Yikes. I love running 100 milers. I really do. It’s been far too long.

So today I’m headed to Sheridan, WY and the Bighorn mountains to undertake the Bighorn 100. My training has been minimal, but it has involved a high percentage of miles with the added benefit of pushing 2 babies in the Chariot stroller.

I don’t have a pace chart. I have no pacer. I have no crew. I have yet to figure out drop bags, etc. I got a great course briefing from a friend who’s run it before and a few solid pep talks from my friend and TNF teammate Diane Van Deren. I’m not a huge planner in the first place, but I am going into this adventure with a new level of lack of planning. This is by no means to say that I don’t care about the race. I definitely do and I hope to do well. I simply have no real reason to expect it. My main goal for this race is to have fun, and enjoy a spectacular long run mountain adventure through some ridiculously gorgeous terrain, and if that results in a good time on the clock- cool.

For the past year or so I’ve grown and shaved a large mustache for any big races I had, and I’m continuing that tradition this weekend. I do this in celebration of the running spirit that Prefontaine embodied. I plan to run Bighorn in a similar fashion. Many would call it stupid. I call it fun and for the love of the sport. I’m going to run hard from the start and just see what happens. Hopefully it comes down to a “pure guts race” (as most 100’s tend to), and this weekend’s race for me is all about having fun in the mountain playground I love. Go Pre!