Ok, one of the reasons those local running races appeal to me less and less is, well, simply, I cannot run anymore. The last time I ran, or attempted to, I could feel pain afterward right on the top of my shin; turns out that my right knee has next to zero cartilage left. It isn’t quite bone on bone but it is getting there. So, I’ve switched to walking full time.
But I can still walk fast enough to meet time cut offs, even on a bad day (at least for races in the 5K to half marathon range).
But there is something else going on. Of course, my times have slowed and I have no PRs to look forward to. But that is only part of the story.
In the days of old, well..there was a community of sorts in the groups I ran with in the races. No, I was nowhere near fast enough to run with those who had run for, say, a high school team (never mind college). But, in the days of my 40-42 minutes 10K runs ( 39:50 was my lifetime PR) or 19:xx 5K runs, the people around me were mostly younger and fit. Now: those around me are a mix of reasonably fit old people, physically average middle age people and out of shape young people.
The ego pump that I used to get by hanging around the younger, fit crowd is long gone. Yes, I know; *I* have changed too; gone are the days were someone would see me and “know” I was there for the marathon or would see me for the first time and tell me where the weight room was, without my even asking.
That being said, I signed up for a 5K two weeks from now; it will be my first since October 2022 and my second “in person” race since the fall of 2019 (I did two “virtual” races in 2020).
Workout notes: 10 mile trail loop (walk) 2:44; I wore my new Brooks Cascadias (ok, I bought them a week ago).
Because the McNaughton Trail Runs are coming up, I’ll talk you through one of the 10 mile loops (note: in the 50 miler you do 5 of these, 10 for the 100, and 15 for the 150).
Note: on race day, the course is very well marked with fluorescent green tape (ok, it is yellow, but it looks green to me) and glow sticks.
Update for the 2008 race: today is Thursday and it has rained hard all day long. The course should be a gigantic mud-bath, so expect lots of this:
The start is near where the McNaughton Park blacktop road runs out. Note: there is a red arrow pointing to the right (as you look toward the end of the road loop). This is the start of the 7.5 mile “red trail”. If you want to do the trail course, you look left. You’ll see a wide, somewhat muddy trail heading down hill. Start there.
You go down hill and empty out into a field. Starting in 2006, the course turns left and you go around the field, hugging the outstide.
The race course has a “short cut” marked; if you go all the way around you’ll add a couple of minutes to your loop time. Stay around the field (don’t follow the horse trails out!) and, at about .8-.9 miles into it, there will be a small entrance into the woods; that leads you up your first climb.
The entrance can be hard to see during the summer; remember it comes at “almost 1 mile” into it. You go up this hill and empty out into a grassy field.
You can see the start of the course on your right and you head straight across the field toward the woods (near where the woods get closest to the road). This is where the “red trail” starts. Again, this entrance can be hard to find when the course isn’t marked. Here is a summer and a spring view:
Now the trail goes through the woods and you’ll go over several “dipsy doodles” (mini ravines). You’ll also cross several mini streams and possibly pick up some mud. Note: recently, a couple of cool foot bridges have been added. Eventually you’ll turn right and go up your second good uphill
and face another field to cross; this one has a foot path and features tall grass on either side. You’ll cross under some power lines.
You are closing in on mile 2. Then you’ll head back into the woods for some more single track; here you’ll encounter 3-4 more mini-ravines and perhaps a small stream. The footing is mostly good but the ravines are momentum killing. Eventually, you’ll come to yet another footbridge and that means that you are close to exiting this woodsy section.
This takes you to the totem pole aid station, and I have a hard time believing that I don’t have a photo of that. Here, you are at mile 2.5, and this is the first aid station.
Here is Jerry Davidson’s:
From this station, you head out following the red trail, for a little while. Eventually, you break away from the red trail:
Note that the red trail moves off toward the left; to follow the race course you go to the right of the tower that you see. This takes you past a bathroom and through some open fields.
Though this stretch, you might encounter some fallen limbs, maybe a stray root and some gopher tracks/holes. But mostly you can make good time.
When I am out on my own, I always get lost here (and so I usually just follow the red trail). But when it is marked, you can see where to cross the first small rectangular field (short side), and go between two trees into a footpath through the woods. You empty out and follow another field going along the long side of the rectangle, then when the field jogs right, you turn left thought the woods again, and move up over a tiny grassy hill.
Then you hug the field and then turn left through some woods
and this path connects to a very sandy path; you turn right on this path and head downhill.
The down hill area is called “the beach”. Stay on it and then go uphill to leave the sandy area; the path becomes packed dirt again. Then downhill to the first major creek crossing:
Note: during the summer, this crossing is sometimes dry:
And you are about 1/3 of the way through the loop!
Across the creek, you turn right and follow the dirt path. Here (when it isn’t marked for a race) it is easy to get lost and miss that first uphill section; you don’t want to miss that! 🙂
This first post-creek uphill takes you about half way up the bluff that you are about to get familiar with. Then you go down, take the dirt paths that run along side the creek and stretch out those legs getting them ready for the bluff section.
You eventually head toward the bluff and go along side of it for about 100-200 meters until you then make a hard right turn right up the side of the bluff: welcome to golf hill!
You are at about 4 miles into the loop. This hill has a rope during the race.
This starts you on an interesting 1 mile section where you repeatedly go up the bluff and almost all the way back down it:
You do have some flat stretches along the bottom of the bluff. The third uphill is the longest though not the steepest. You have one up-down part on this third uphill,
but eventually you’ll come to the end of this section where you will see this:
That is the signal that you are about to take a long downhill toward the creek. Note that this has been changed this year; no more screaming downhill but rather a more reasonable, gentle downgrade.
This bridge is just a hair shorter than half-way! On the other side, you’ll have a minute or two more of a few minor dipsy-doodles
prior to crossing another small foot bridge and emptying out at the base of a hill, where you will turn left and go up a long uphill, which features a wide trail and another wooden footbridge.
You empty out into a field for about .5 miles worth of easy running or walking:
Along the edge of the field you’ll pass a small family cemetery. Then you’ll pass an easy to miss (when not marked) clearing on the right. This is about 5.8-5.9 miles into it and is called “Heaven’s Gate”. Turn into this clearing and you’ll be at aid station number 2 and 3, as you pass it twice. Head towards the end of the field and you’ll see an entrance into the woods. Follow it, but then when you get on the foot path, take your first right (easy to miss) If you go straight, you’ll cut off about .5 of a mile.
This takes you down toward some woodsy paths that run along side the creek. I call this the slalom course as you frequently twist and turn between the trees. Eventually you empty out into a grassy field and follow that for a while.
Off to your right, you can see the mile 8-9 section of the loop.
Eventually, you head back through the woods, up hill
and back into the Heaven’s Gate field. You exit that, turn right, and head out along the outer perimeter of the field; you have about 3 miles left in your loop.
Here it gets a bit tricky again if you are not out there when the race course is marked. Keep going so long as you see the red markings on the trees.
You exit the field to the right and go along a wide grassy clearing. You keep going until you see woods off on your left, and at about 7.25 miles or so, there is a small opening into the woods:
Yes, that one:
And that takes you through just about a mile of small ups and downs, with perhaps one good sized hill.
You pass over one small footbridge, and at about 8.1-8.2 miles you’ll see a larger one:
Turn right when you cross this bridge; this takes you on a bit more of path which empties into yet another field and a downhill.
Here you get easy grass running/walking for about a quarter of a mile.
When you come back toward the woods, there will be a right turn that you do prior to moving toward a field (where you first went downhill at the beginning of the loop. Turn right and after about 200 meters you’ll find the third steam crossing.
yes, that is Andy, the race director, and on the other side you see where the trail picks up again.
You go up a steep hill and past a hole in the Disc (Frisbee) golf course; don’t be deceived; you still have about 1 mile left.
You go through some woods, alongside the creek again, and then back into the woods on a steep uphill.
This part is the most mentally taxing for me, as it appears that you are finally about to get out of the woods, but then you are directed back into them again. The uphill is followed by a downhill, then two more minor uphills and downhills.
The downhill which has the wooden marking post signifies the end of the last wood section; you then empty out onto the disc golf course!
Turn right, follow the red signs on the trees. This takes you across a field, to a path where you go right. The lake will be on your right as you go past. Then as you see a big uphill on your left, take the hill and go through the clearing. This is the last hill of the loop.
Then as soon as you are on the top, turn hard left and follow the treeline. You’ll go through a clearing toward another “hole” of the golf course, but then turn right through yet another small path.
That path empties you out into yet another field, where you will be able to see the start of the course.
Congratulations; you now have another 4-9-14 of these to do. 🙂
Update: this shows what things can get like if it rains hard:
Note the tape on the tree to the right; that is the kind of tape that is used. I see this as a very bright green but perhaps it is really yellow? 🙂 (re: Brian’s comment)
Here is another photo showing a muddy course and the tape:
Both of these, I believe, come from the stretch between the last stream crossing and the disc golf course.
Now it is true that those with comorbidities have a greater risk, but even superbly conditioned athletes can end up in the hospital and in the ICU…and yes, that includes those who have run 100 mile footraces while in their 60’s.
You might be rightfully pride of your Cross Fit workouts, your big bench press or your blazing 5K…or even your Boston Qualifying Marathon. But that is not immunity and, though COVID “probably” won’t kill you, it can mess you up for a long time and severely degrade your future athletic performance.
Take it seriously; mask up, and get that shot when you can!
I won’t deny that, as a teenager, I just KNEW that I was going to be an NFL player someday.
Yes, that was me in 1974 after the Yokota High (my school) vs. Yo Hi game ..we won 34-14. But… I still remember their first touchdown. It was punt return and the returner was running toward me and a blocker got me with a body block. I got up just as the returner was running past me; I was off balance and basically awkwardly waved my arms at him as he ran past; I didn’t even slow him down.
No. Athletic. Ability.
A day or so ago, I saw this (note: the Vanderbilt coach is now the Penn State coach)
In this video they show…vertical jump (LOL), 40 yard dash (my best: 5.8..no kidding…and yes, first number is a 5). And they show the shuttle run.
I remember practicing the shuttle run for the service academy physical education test. You had to run back and forth between cones, and no matter how much I practiced and how hard I tried, I really, really, really sucked.
I made West Point and Annapolis (though West Point told me to get in shape before the summer) but flunked the Air Force Academy test. Mind you, I ran a 5:54 mile at the time.
But bursts of speed, quickness…no dice. And I was worst at changing directions quickly, which, if you think about it, is exactly what a football player needs to be able to do. If I flunked a service academy test…what in the world was I thinking in that I was going to be an athlete?
And it didn’t get better later; at Annapolis I flunked the obstacle course twice as a freshman..wait..3 times (passed it later..but only with a lot of practice). Flunked the obstacle course again in Pensacola …after practicing for it. (got it the second time). Mind you, I was running a sub 40 minute 10K at the time. I aced the pull ups, the XC run and the swim. But obstacles…agility while on the move…nope.
It literally frustrated me to tears.
So.. ..when I see it now..both when not-so-great NCAA players think they are going to the NFL..or when a student who can’t do math wants to be an engineer…I can sympathize…lend a kind word…and gently direct them toward their strengths.
Warmed up, went outside for broken pull ups: 10 singes, 3-2-3-2, 5, 5, singles/doubles, penalty set of 5 for 55 total (went ok)
bench: 10 x 134, 5 x 174, 5 x 174, 3 x 184, 3 x 184 (last set was hard)
rows: trap bar, 3 sets of 10 x 134
seated shoulder: 3 sets of 10: 79, 83, 88
push ups: 3 sets of 20..finished me off.
Topic of the post
From 1982-2004 or so …I’d finish a race. No, my time wasn’t a real “runner’s time” but 6:24-7:00 was a typical 10K pace for me then.
I’d see people finishing well over 10 minutes after me in shiny swank gear..Garmin watches, newest shoes, etc.
Secretly, to myself, I’d think “they’d be better off training more and focusing less on the gear..”; I was especially bad when I was in my 20’s. I did keep such thoughts to myself though.
I am now glad that I did.
My current equipment: big spotter bench with steel supports and spotter pins..trap bar, bumper plates and custom cut steel plates…VERY shiny!!! I have enough equipment for an NFL lineman to keep his strength (ok, I’d need a new bar and perhaps 6-8 more 45 lb plates..).
The bank account can afford it…but the body cannot lift it. The best I can hope for is to limit how far I slide into suckdom.
Ok, that title was way too dramatic: this was a mere platelet donation. That is what I do instead of go to ball games.
The workout: 78 F, 74 percent at 8 am (too late) and my right knee was somewhat sore. So I decided to run 3 miles (5K) and try to put some effort into the final mile, then walk 3 more after stretching the glute. Yeah, the glute started to hurt 2 miles into it but I focused on posture and that got me through without much pain.
I wore my old 4’th of July shirt to remind myself that eventually, the races will come back.
As you can see, I gave more effort in mile 2 and even more in mile 3. And, well, a 10:17 mile was WORK in this heat. Good Lord. My body needs more practice at putting forth effort.
The walk started down Moss and then I wandered all over the place.
It was sticky. 75 F, 79 percent at the start, (7 am), 81 F, 62 percent at the end. Yes, my Garmen cheated me of some distance in lower Bradley Park (to be expected: tree cover, lots of tight turns; I was “cheated” about .02 miles per lower loop..I know, not that much. But still I was doing ok with the jog (3 lower loops..5 miles) and then I walked.. then it was like a needle to my left glute 1 mile later. I paused to stretch it out.
I was able to finish; first 5 miles of jogging were fine, last 3 miles of walking hurt. Interestingly enough, Saturday’s longer walk was fine, but that was after deadlifts.
I need to stay with my glute exercises..do them daily. And I might need to spread it out a bit and focus on my posture; leaning forward does it no favors. Right knee was ok.
I am watching our tree come down; long gone are the days of just chopping it down and yelling “TIMBER.”
Life of an old goat 