So I've blown my goal of training every day this year. I got the flu, and after one day of attempting to moderately exercise to stay on track I was flat on my back feeling as though I'd gone 15 rounds with Macho Camacho.
"I'm an idiot," I'm thinking as I lay there.
Ya see, I know the physiology of what happens to the body when you're training and what happens when you're sick. Therefore, I had no business trying to do any sort of exercise once I was sure I was getting sick.
In it's most basic sense, what happens to your body when you exercise? Breakdown. Hence, the key to effective training is effective recovery.
What happens to your body when you're sick? Breakdown. The key to recovering quickly is focusing your immune system on the task at had. There are only two things that can help at this point, rest and nutrition.
Since illness causes breakdown, adding further breakdown to the equation will compromise an already stretched thin immune system leading to an almost certain exacerbation of the symptoms of the desease.
The variable is recovery. Anything you can do to increase this will decrease the effects of your illness. Your body recovers best during sleep. Far better than at any time while you're awake. Therefore, it makes sense that the more you can sleep when you're ill the quicker you'll recover.
At least I got back to my senses quickly. I spent 99% of the next 30 hours in bed and cracked my fever. The next day I spent back and forth between my computer--working--and bed. By the following afternoon, after two 'tube' days (A tube is a day when you don't leave your house. It's was named after a rather cylindrical dog we knew whose owner never took it anywhere, resulting in his tube-like physique), I was ready for a test hike.
A "test hike" is a fitness test. Towards the tail end of an illness you can often "blow it out" by doing some mild cardio exercise that increases your breathing and blood flow. It's important to pay attention to warning signs though because heading out too early can land you back in bed and regress your recovery.
Mine went well, thankfully, and this afternoon I should be back to training as normal. Not too bad considering a bunch of folks around here have been down for a full week with this bug.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Feb Training Update
More base training.
Unfortunately, my streak of training daily came to an end due to a quick bout with the flu. Ultimately, it was a decent month of adding to my base. I didn't do as many long days as I wanted, though I did manage to tick a few summits and a couple of ridge traverses. Bike riding was minimal. Climbing was dismal, though I managed to do a couple of 5.12 in my few days outside. "Only" 44 to go.
Since I had nowhere for Tuco to hang out, I axed the Red Hot 50 from my list and ran in support of Sandee instead. It was still a decent day out in perfect Moab conditions. Tuc and I did 12 miles. Then I added another 10-15 on my own running around looking for and photographing Sandee. All in all, it was a beautiful day in the desert.
The big stat to report is injuries: 0.
March has started well with my two biggest rides of the year. I'm sore, tired, and plan to get back on the bike again today. I'll be the guy out suffering on some mountain pass.
Cheerio,
Steve
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The Hardest Endurance Events on the Planet
“Grown men also cry.”- Jeffery Lebowski
“You look like you need your ass kicked.”
- Some guy named Chuck, in a bar
There are times in life when hard just doesn’t cut it; when being miserable just isn’t quite enough; and when the travails of living require higher octane. This is a list for just those times.
After receiving some feedback, here's what I've come up with as the hardest recreational endurance events in the world. My definition of recreational is that anyone may enter. You may have to qualify but that standard isn't based on natural ability. This eliminates obvious events, like riding the Tour de France, but also things like age group world championships and races like Hawaii Ironman. I wanted to a list that anyone could think "I want to try that" and then, with enough motivation, have a chance to do it.
This is my first attempt and it comes to you in no particular order as to difficulty. And I think you’ll see that assigning difficulty in order would be a hard—and somewhat random—task. I've tried to encompass as many different disciplines as possible though with hard and endurance in the same sentence they all generally consist of some sort of human powered locomotion over various types of terrain.
All feedback is welcome.
Badwater 135 (or 146 since you SHOULD continue to the summit once you've come all this way) - From what I can tell, this is the world's must rugged foot race, mainly because it's held on what's supposed to be the hottest weekend of any particular year. In temps that nearly always exceed 120 degrees F, you run through the desert from the lowest point in the United States to the highest (in the lower 48). The entire race is on pavement, adding to its nastiness, since runners must stay on the white lines of paint to keep their shoes from melting. Oddly enough, this race is so popular that it's hard to get in, so get creative with your resume.
Race Across America - This event could also count as the most boring but no one will argue its grimness factor. Just sitting on your bike for 3,000 miles is daunting enough. But you've also got to pedal, and at a decent pace to not get kicked out. Add lack of sleep in extreme heat, cold, snow, rain, wind and then throw in the occasional tornado and you've got the perfect recipe for sheer misery. To give you an idea of what you’re up against, consider multiple-times winner John Howard’s statement “When I can sit on my trainer staring at a blank white wall for five hours straight, I’m just about ready for RAAM.” Anyone can enter but you've got to complete a qualifier of, at least, 400 miles within a respectable time of the winner.
The Norseman - Billing itself as the world's toughest triathlon, it's certainly hard to argue. While it’s only slightly longer than a traditional ironman, the course profile alone looks like an entirely different animal. This is before accounting for the fact that you’ll be swimming in sub 60 degree water and that the run is a rocky ascent (no trail from what I can tell) to the summit of a mountain.
Iditarod Trail Invitational - Dogs? We don't need no stinking dogs! This human powered version of the famously grueling Iditarod really needs no description. It's February in northern Alaska. It's dark. It's really really cold. And you get to ride your bike 1100 miles across the ice. Good times.
The Hardrock 100 - The trail runners Holy Grail, this 100 mile jaunt across the top of the Rockies is a shoo-in. Many life long ultra runners never finish this extreme test of will that features nearly 70,000' of elevation change over rock and snow at an average elevation of 11,000'. Numerous ultra record holder Karl Meltzer calls it "the hardest ultra on the planet."
Climbing Mount Everest – Sure, sure, K2 is heaps harder, as are many peaks, but none of those are available to the recreational athlete. But Everest, most notoriously, is. If you're rich or good at schmoozing pretty much anyone can get themselves a shot at standing on the world's rooftop. But cash and cocktail partying aside, you've still got to get yourself up the sucker and no guide, fixed rope, oxygen tanks or Sherpa can do it for you. Most that try don't make it. Those that do come down changed. And some don't come down at all. Commercial as it gets, high altitude roulette is still a dangerous game.
Primal Quest - According to Rebecca Rusch, one of the sports elders, adventure racing ain't what it used to be. "I'd say, for sure, the old style Raid Gauloises would be on this list. In those days even the organizers didn't know what to expect. It was truly adventurous. Now they run it in stages." Commercialism and a "safety first" attitude aside, AR is still a tough test of the limits we can endure. And none, currently, is tougher than the Primal Quest.
Crocodile Trophy - This 10 stage, 1400 kilometer mountain bike stage race through the Australian Outback is the antithesis to the Iditarod. It crosses Oz through what is famously some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world. From rain drenching rain forest to the bleakest desert, the course profile doesn't begin to do this race justice. Most of the competitors are elite, if not pro, yet the most common quote heard throughout the race is "I expected it to be hard but completely underestimated it." Probably why the organizers have dubbed it "the toughest test on two wheels."
Patrouille des Glaciers – “Ski Mountaineering Racing is said to be one of the hardest sports in the world and the Swiss Patrouille des Glaciers is perhaps the hardest of them all,” according to the race web site. This tradition, which began in 1943, may not be as crazy as many modern sufferfests but pageantry and tradition should still count for a lot. And, as anyone who’s familiar with ski mountaineering can attest, it’s not a sport that attracts the meek. Sure, this race is a ‘mere’ 53k with an altitude change of 7,000 meters, but expect every step to be either laborious or scary.
The Nose in a day – What Everest is to the mountaineer, Yosemite’s El Capitan is to rock climbers. The Nose, a plumb line up the most famous rock face in the world, is not only the world’s most famous rock climb, it’s the most sought after and, arguably, the best. So much so that when asked about his future climbing goals, Touching the Void author Joe Simpson stated “to end ones career with having never climbed The Nose would be a travesty.” Style is everything when it comes to climbing and, these days, less than 24 hours is de rigueur for those aspirants of an elegant ascent. Yet it’s still not regularly achieved. The Nose in a day is a rite of passage for an “elite” recreational athlete.
Jungle Marathon – This 6-stage 200km race through the Amazon doesn’t promise that it’s one of the great epics of our time. But this could be a ploy that’s due to the anecdotal reputation of the area and the race organizers not wanting to scare away participants. I dunno, I sorta think “See piranhas, anacondas, the last vestiges of headhunting, and a completely unknown quantity of as-of-yet undiscovered diseases and human parasites!” has a nice ring to it. Regardless, you don’t have to scour the fine print to see that the challenge “isn’t the distance, but the terrain,” that “common sense” is a prerequisite, that your hammock “should include mosquito netting and a rain fly” and that one of the finishers wrote an entire book about the experience to get a notion that your not signing on to an episode of Survivor.
Yukon Arctic Ultra – Apparently, the Iditarod isn’t the toughest dog sled course because, according to the race web site, this one is tougher. Now you can try it via skis, bikes, foot or whateverthehell “skijorer”-ing is. Regardless, it’s supposed to be “the world’s coldest and toughest ultra”. All I know is that the course reminds me of a Jack London novel and those always sounded pretty dammed tough to me.
Everest Challenge – Billed as the hardest USCF stage race it likely also has the highest drop rate. It’s also a “fun” ride for those who want to test themselves on back to back rides that are both as hard as any stage of the Tour de France. This race climbs 30,000’ in its two stages but is even tougher than the elevation gain total would suggest. Hardly a meter of its 200 miles are flat and three of the six climbs are over 20 miles long, at grades up to 20%. Adding to this torture test is the knowledge that the hardest bit you’ll encounter is the final 10k of the last climb. It’s a Sword of Damocles that hangs over you the entire two days. Said former winner, Pam Schuster, “At the end of the first day you’re so wiped out that you think there is no possible way you could ever do it again, much less the next day. But, somehow, you find a way to make it.” Somehow, but not always. Each year many riders who’ve finished the first day don’t even bother with the second. “Mainly due to fear of injury,” adds one its victims, Aaron Baker. “Look up the word ‘suffer’ in the dictionary and I’m sure it will be defined ‘Everest Challenge.’”
Arctic Circle Ski Race - “The ultimate challenge to cross-country skiers” sure looks appealing upon perusing their web site. It features many stunning pics of beautiful landscapes and smiling well-dressed skiers sauntering along at what looks to be a quite civilized pace. It’s only 160km over three days, so why that bit about competitors featuring a “stable mentality”? But, wait a minute. Isn’t it dark most of the time in March in northern Greenland? And isn’t it cold? And if these people are all so happy then why are there quotes like this on page one? “I had to fight myself, my pain, cramps and exhaustion. I came here to win the race. Instead, I have won a personal victory.” Hmm.
Tour de Afrique – Is it a race, a tour, or an expedition? In reality it’s all three. Participants can choose between whether or not they’d like to race so, in theory, it’s can be leisurely and, hence, not all that tough. However, it’s a 96-stage bike ride (yes, 96) dissecting 9 countries in Africa so there is no denying its expedition status. And considering both the physical and political climates of the region there is little chance of not experiencing adventure on the grandest level. If you’re in the position of being able to take six months off and living out of a tent, this is probably one that you don’t want to miss.
La Ruta de los Conquistadores – This 3-day stage mountain bike race across Costa Rica appears, at least on paper, not to be anything special. Due to lack of paper, they hold the actual race on Costa Rica’s less stable terrain which has resulted in a tag line stating it’s “more than a race; it’s a personal journey.” According to US 24-hour mountain bike champion Rebecca Rusch, there’s not a lot of hyperbole in their claim. “The Trans Alp and Trans Rockies both have much harder looking profiles, but it’s my understanding that in those races you get to actually ride your bike. In La Ruta, you often have to carry your bike. And not just on the up hills. I can’t even begin to say how difficult it is but it features brutal mud, intense heat, tough cut off times…. I almost dropped out on the first day!”
The Barkley Marathons – This one’s hard to explain but first just consider the stats. It’s not a marathon as in “26.2”. It’s 100 miles, more or less, with nearly 55,000 feet of elevation gain, and it’s only had 6 people finish within its 60-hour time limit since 1986. Next, consider a format that includes no real trail and check points where you need to tear a page out of a book that’s personally assigned to you. Oh, and there are the briars to consider. Lots of ‘em. Everywhere. And rain. Usually lots of it, too. It’s quite common for sub 24-hour runners to not finish. Some don’t even find their way through one lap and retire “with legs that resemble uncooked hamburger”. One runner, on this eleventh attempt, is targeting two and a half laps as his goal for 2007. That’s about half way. There’s also a shorter “fun run” option. Hardly anybody finishes that option either. And it’s hard to get in. But you can. If you want to badly enough, you can find a way. You just have to really want to. Bad.
“You look like you need your ass kicked.”
- Some guy named Chuck, in a bar
There are times in life when hard just doesn’t cut it; when being miserable just isn’t quite enough; and when the travails of living require higher octane. This is a list for just those times.
After receiving some feedback, here's what I've come up with as the hardest recreational endurance events in the world. My definition of recreational is that anyone may enter. You may have to qualify but that standard isn't based on natural ability. This eliminates obvious events, like riding the Tour de France, but also things like age group world championships and races like Hawaii Ironman. I wanted to a list that anyone could think "I want to try that" and then, with enough motivation, have a chance to do it.
This is my first attempt and it comes to you in no particular order as to difficulty. And I think you’ll see that assigning difficulty in order would be a hard—and somewhat random—task. I've tried to encompass as many different disciplines as possible though with hard and endurance in the same sentence they all generally consist of some sort of human powered locomotion over various types of terrain.
All feedback is welcome.
Badwater 135 (or 146 since you SHOULD continue to the summit once you've come all this way) - From what I can tell, this is the world's must rugged foot race, mainly because it's held on what's supposed to be the hottest weekend of any particular year. In temps that nearly always exceed 120 degrees F, you run through the desert from the lowest point in the United States to the highest (in the lower 48). The entire race is on pavement, adding to its nastiness, since runners must stay on the white lines of paint to keep their shoes from melting. Oddly enough, this race is so popular that it's hard to get in, so get creative with your resume.
Race Across America - This event could also count as the most boring but no one will argue its grimness factor. Just sitting on your bike for 3,000 miles is daunting enough. But you've also got to pedal, and at a decent pace to not get kicked out. Add lack of sleep in extreme heat, cold, snow, rain, wind and then throw in the occasional tornado and you've got the perfect recipe for sheer misery. To give you an idea of what you’re up against, consider multiple-times winner John Howard’s statement “When I can sit on my trainer staring at a blank white wall for five hours straight, I’m just about ready for RAAM.” Anyone can enter but you've got to complete a qualifier of, at least, 400 miles within a respectable time of the winner.
The Norseman - Billing itself as the world's toughest triathlon, it's certainly hard to argue. While it’s only slightly longer than a traditional ironman, the course profile alone looks like an entirely different animal. This is before accounting for the fact that you’ll be swimming in sub 60 degree water and that the run is a rocky ascent (no trail from what I can tell) to the summit of a mountain.
Iditarod Trail Invitational - Dogs? We don't need no stinking dogs! This human powered version of the famously grueling Iditarod really needs no description. It's February in northern Alaska. It's dark. It's really really cold. And you get to ride your bike 1100 miles across the ice. Good times.
The Hardrock 100 - The trail runners Holy Grail, this 100 mile jaunt across the top of the Rockies is a shoo-in. Many life long ultra runners never finish this extreme test of will that features nearly 70,000' of elevation change over rock and snow at an average elevation of 11,000'. Numerous ultra record holder Karl Meltzer calls it "the hardest ultra on the planet."
Climbing Mount Everest – Sure, sure, K2 is heaps harder, as are many peaks, but none of those are available to the recreational athlete. But Everest, most notoriously, is. If you're rich or good at schmoozing pretty much anyone can get themselves a shot at standing on the world's rooftop. But cash and cocktail partying aside, you've still got to get yourself up the sucker and no guide, fixed rope, oxygen tanks or Sherpa can do it for you. Most that try don't make it. Those that do come down changed. And some don't come down at all. Commercial as it gets, high altitude roulette is still a dangerous game.
Primal Quest - According to Rebecca Rusch, one of the sports elders, adventure racing ain't what it used to be. "I'd say, for sure, the old style Raid Gauloises would be on this list. In those days even the organizers didn't know what to expect. It was truly adventurous. Now they run it in stages." Commercialism and a "safety first" attitude aside, AR is still a tough test of the limits we can endure. And none, currently, is tougher than the Primal Quest.
Crocodile Trophy - This 10 stage, 1400 kilometer mountain bike stage race through the Australian Outback is the antithesis to the Iditarod. It crosses Oz through what is famously some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world. From rain drenching rain forest to the bleakest desert, the course profile doesn't begin to do this race justice. Most of the competitors are elite, if not pro, yet the most common quote heard throughout the race is "I expected it to be hard but completely underestimated it." Probably why the organizers have dubbed it "the toughest test on two wheels."
Patrouille des Glaciers – “Ski Mountaineering Racing is said to be one of the hardest sports in the world and the Swiss Patrouille des Glaciers is perhaps the hardest of them all,” according to the race web site. This tradition, which began in 1943, may not be as crazy as many modern sufferfests but pageantry and tradition should still count for a lot. And, as anyone who’s familiar with ski mountaineering can attest, it’s not a sport that attracts the meek. Sure, this race is a ‘mere’ 53k with an altitude change of 7,000 meters, but expect every step to be either laborious or scary.
The Nose in a day – What Everest is to the mountaineer, Yosemite’s El Capitan is to rock climbers. The Nose, a plumb line up the most famous rock face in the world, is not only the world’s most famous rock climb, it’s the most sought after and, arguably, the best. So much so that when asked about his future climbing goals, Touching the Void author Joe Simpson stated “to end ones career with having never climbed The Nose would be a travesty.” Style is everything when it comes to climbing and, these days, less than 24 hours is de rigueur for those aspirants of an elegant ascent. Yet it’s still not regularly achieved. The Nose in a day is a rite of passage for an “elite” recreational athlete.
Jungle Marathon – This 6-stage 200km race through the Amazon doesn’t promise that it’s one of the great epics of our time. But this could be a ploy that’s due to the anecdotal reputation of the area and the race organizers not wanting to scare away participants. I dunno, I sorta think “See piranhas, anacondas, the last vestiges of headhunting, and a completely unknown quantity of as-of-yet undiscovered diseases and human parasites!” has a nice ring to it. Regardless, you don’t have to scour the fine print to see that the challenge “isn’t the distance, but the terrain,” that “common sense” is a prerequisite, that your hammock “should include mosquito netting and a rain fly” and that one of the finishers wrote an entire book about the experience to get a notion that your not signing on to an episode of Survivor.
Yukon Arctic Ultra – Apparently, the Iditarod isn’t the toughest dog sled course because, according to the race web site, this one is tougher. Now you can try it via skis, bikes, foot or whateverthehell “skijorer”-ing is. Regardless, it’s supposed to be “the world’s coldest and toughest ultra”. All I know is that the course reminds me of a Jack London novel and those always sounded pretty dammed tough to me.
Everest Challenge – Billed as the hardest USCF stage race it likely also has the highest drop rate. It’s also a “fun” ride for those who want to test themselves on back to back rides that are both as hard as any stage of the Tour de France. This race climbs 30,000’ in its two stages but is even tougher than the elevation gain total would suggest. Hardly a meter of its 200 miles are flat and three of the six climbs are over 20 miles long, at grades up to 20%. Adding to this torture test is the knowledge that the hardest bit you’ll encounter is the final 10k of the last climb. It’s a Sword of Damocles that hangs over you the entire two days. Said former winner, Pam Schuster, “At the end of the first day you’re so wiped out that you think there is no possible way you could ever do it again, much less the next day. But, somehow, you find a way to make it.” Somehow, but not always. Each year many riders who’ve finished the first day don’t even bother with the second. “Mainly due to fear of injury,” adds one its victims, Aaron Baker. “Look up the word ‘suffer’ in the dictionary and I’m sure it will be defined ‘Everest Challenge.’”
Arctic Circle Ski Race - “The ultimate challenge to cross-country skiers” sure looks appealing upon perusing their web site. It features many stunning pics of beautiful landscapes and smiling well-dressed skiers sauntering along at what looks to be a quite civilized pace. It’s only 160km over three days, so why that bit about competitors featuring a “stable mentality”? But, wait a minute. Isn’t it dark most of the time in March in northern Greenland? And isn’t it cold? And if these people are all so happy then why are there quotes like this on page one? “I had to fight myself, my pain, cramps and exhaustion. I came here to win the race. Instead, I have won a personal victory.” Hmm.
Tour de Afrique – Is it a race, a tour, or an expedition? In reality it’s all three. Participants can choose between whether or not they’d like to race so, in theory, it’s can be leisurely and, hence, not all that tough. However, it’s a 96-stage bike ride (yes, 96) dissecting 9 countries in Africa so there is no denying its expedition status. And considering both the physical and political climates of the region there is little chance of not experiencing adventure on the grandest level. If you’re in the position of being able to take six months off and living out of a tent, this is probably one that you don’t want to miss.
La Ruta de los Conquistadores – This 3-day stage mountain bike race across Costa Rica appears, at least on paper, not to be anything special. Due to lack of paper, they hold the actual race on Costa Rica’s less stable terrain which has resulted in a tag line stating it’s “more than a race; it’s a personal journey.” According to US 24-hour mountain bike champion Rebecca Rusch, there’s not a lot of hyperbole in their claim. “The Trans Alp and Trans Rockies both have much harder looking profiles, but it’s my understanding that in those races you get to actually ride your bike. In La Ruta, you often have to carry your bike. And not just on the up hills. I can’t even begin to say how difficult it is but it features brutal mud, intense heat, tough cut off times…. I almost dropped out on the first day!”
The Barkley Marathons – This one’s hard to explain but first just consider the stats. It’s not a marathon as in “26.2”. It’s 100 miles, more or less, with nearly 55,000 feet of elevation gain, and it’s only had 6 people finish within its 60-hour time limit since 1986. Next, consider a format that includes no real trail and check points where you need to tear a page out of a book that’s personally assigned to you. Oh, and there are the briars to consider. Lots of ‘em. Everywhere. And rain. Usually lots of it, too. It’s quite common for sub 24-hour runners to not finish. Some don’t even find their way through one lap and retire “with legs that resemble uncooked hamburger”. One runner, on this eleventh attempt, is targeting two and a half laps as his goal for 2007. That’s about half way. There’s also a shorter “fun run” option. Hardly anybody finishes that option either. And it’s hard to get in. But you can. If you want to badly enough, you can find a way. You just have to really want to. Bad.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Victory and Why You Matter
We tend to feel insignificant when it comes to policy issues. This is why we shouldn't.
In the legal battle in San Diego county over climbing access the climbers have won round one. This was a purely grass roots victory and would not have happened without your input. It's only round one, with a lot of work left to do, but this is why you should stay informed and involved in issues that matter to you.
A quick recap:
The Forest Servce proposed bird closure rulings that would affect many climbing areas in San Diego county.
These are supported by local climber, guidebook author, and Access Fund representative Dave Kennedy.
Local climbers dig into the issue and find that some of the cliffs involved in the closures are not nesting habitats of the birds involved. San Diego activist Jeff Brown aided by his wife, wildlife biologist Keli Balo, publish fliers calling for community support.
Kennedy counters, calling for commnunity acceptance. The Access Fund, the only national organization for climbing access, supports Kennedy initially.
Brown finds that the proposed closures are not only sloppy but illegal. Furthermore, he finds evidence that Kennedy "swapped" crags with the USFS, essentially in order to keep "his" cliff open in exchange for closing others. None of these actions have anything to do with birds. Furthermore, Kennedy--in his latest guide--stated various crags were closed and that offenders could be fined $10,000, a complete fabrication.
A letter writing campaign overloads the USFS server and crashes it.
Brown goes on the local PBS station in a debate over the issue.
Kennedy resigns that day.
The Access Fund completely revises its position.
Access Fund revised letter to USFS
The USFS tables the proposed closures and is re-evaluating the situation in an open dialog with the Access Fund, which is being led by a local climber collective.
A web site is being built but, for now, find the latest access information at:
http://www.birthdaychallenge.com/access.html
In the legal battle in San Diego county over climbing access the climbers have won round one. This was a purely grass roots victory and would not have happened without your input. It's only round one, with a lot of work left to do, but this is why you should stay informed and involved in issues that matter to you.
A quick recap:
The Forest Servce proposed bird closure rulings that would affect many climbing areas in San Diego county.
These are supported by local climber, guidebook author, and Access Fund representative Dave Kennedy.
Local climbers dig into the issue and find that some of the cliffs involved in the closures are not nesting habitats of the birds involved. San Diego activist Jeff Brown aided by his wife, wildlife biologist Keli Balo, publish fliers calling for community support.
Kennedy counters, calling for commnunity acceptance. The Access Fund, the only national organization for climbing access, supports Kennedy initially.
Brown finds that the proposed closures are not only sloppy but illegal. Furthermore, he finds evidence that Kennedy "swapped" crags with the USFS, essentially in order to keep "his" cliff open in exchange for closing others. None of these actions have anything to do with birds. Furthermore, Kennedy--in his latest guide--stated various crags were closed and that offenders could be fined $10,000, a complete fabrication.
A letter writing campaign overloads the USFS server and crashes it.
Brown goes on the local PBS station in a debate over the issue.
Kennedy resigns that day.
The Access Fund completely revises its position.
Access Fund revised letter to USFS
The USFS tables the proposed closures and is re-evaluating the situation in an open dialog with the Access Fund, which is being led by a local climber collective.
A web site is being built but, for now, find the latest access information at:
http://www.birthdaychallenge.com/access.html
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Gym Jones
At the climbing gym the other night, a friend asked if I knew Mark Twight and sent my to his training facility's page:
Gym Jones
Twight is famously a completely different in person than in his musings. So much so, in fact, that one of his climbing partners stated, after reading an account of an epic they'd shared, "That's not the same person I was on the mountain with."
At any rate, this gym looks intriguing when you get past all of the macho horseshit on the front page. Now, if the guys are actually this serious it would suck. I mean, c'mon, it's just training. But I'll bet, like Twight is when you meet him in person, they're just some regualar folks who like to get after it a little bit.
Anyway, prior to heading over the "wait on the doorstep" for acceptance, I need to do a little homework. First off, I'm not near prime pull-up shape. But since the company I work for just happens to have a perfect solution to this (P90X, a program I helped create that's essentially the home version of Gym Jones), that shouldn't take too long.
Furthermore, I'd like to smoke a few of their diciples PR's before "appying", so I thought I'd do a test run on Grandeur's west ridge to see what I was up against.
Twight's 56 minutes seemed pretty fast. Given its winter and that the trail would be a combination of slush and snow, onsighting it didn't seem prudent. Plus, if it was a recon trip the Rat could come. So instead of Twight's PR, we went in search of that fastest winter onsight ascent by a 12-year-old Malamute mix.
The route was gorgeous but a little tendious. I can see why Twight and his masocistic tendencies would like it. It's like an hour long stairmast session at the higest level. The trail actually was in decent shape, for the most part, and in spite of a couple of water stops to make sure the little guy was doin' okay, we were still with in striking distance of 56 m, or at least breaking an hour, when we hit the summit ridge and just a bit o' snow. While fun, the ensuing post holing was slow going. We hit the summit at 68 minutes.
Tuco was awesome. On our first ascent of Grandeur, via an easier line, I had someone take out pic because "he probably doesn't have too many summits left in him." Well, we've nailed quite a few since then and his fitness is fine. He's limping less than he was last summer, for sure, and he's taking far less Rimadyl.
On the way home I though about going after Twight's 36.42 on Beachon Hill. Unfortunately, I didn't know where it was. When calls to a few friends proved fruitless, I joined my friend Dustin for a ride up Little Mountain instead and got smoked so bad that I guess Grandeur had taken a bit of zip out of my legs, even at the Rat's pace.
All in all, a pretty decent training day.
Trust Your Local Pharmaceutical Company
I really see no need for comment. More fun from Big Pharma, courtesy of Dr. Jay Rowen, MD.
Inventing a Disease
You've got to admire the chutzpah of the marketers at pharmaceutical giant Glaxo-SmithKline PLC. They've figured out how to increase sales for one of their most popular drugs by more than $300 million a year. All they had to do was invent a disease for it to treat.
The name of the drug is Requip. It works by regulating the brain chemical dopamine, which is responsible for controlling body movements. It's effective enough that it has become the drug of choice for doctors treating patients with Parkinson's disease.
Then someone at Glaxo had an "ah-ha!" moment. There are millions more people who suffer from leg twitches at night than Parkinson's. What if Requip became the drug of choice for them? Only problem was, "leg twitches" isn't a disease. So HMOs and insurance companies won't pay for prescriptions to treat it.
The wizards at Glaxo decided on a three-step campaign to change all that. First, they spent millions of dollars to educate the medical profession about a new disease. But not "leg twitches." No, "restless leg syndrome" sounds much more serious. And "syndrome" is almost the same thing as "disease," isn't it? Glaxo's ads in medical journals started carrying the tagline, "GlaxoSmithKline: A Leader in RLS Research."
Next, Glaxo hired dozens of "sleep-disorder specialists" to go around the country, pitching local doctors about the seriousness of RLS and the wonders Requip could work in treating it. They invited the docs to lavish meals at country clubs and four-star restaurants, with Glaxo picking up the tab. They attended by the hundreds.
Finally, Glaxo spent millions more on TV ads aimed directly at consumers, to tell them that their pain has a name - and a drug to help treat it. Before you could say "gimme some of them pills," Glaxo's sales of Requip increased by more than $300 million a year. As they say, that ain't hay.
But before you rush off to your doctor and ask him to prescribe a bottle or two of Requip for you, here's a suggestion from one of my favorite health writers. Dr. Robert Rowen, editor of Second Opinion newsletter (www.secondopinionnewsletter.com), says if you're bothered by leg twitches at night, chances are you're suffering from a potassium deficiency.
He suggests eating a banana or two before you go to bed. Or get a bottle of potassium supplements from your local health food store. You could solve your problem without spending a fortune … or taking a fancy new drug with who-knows-what side effects.
Inventing a Disease
You've got to admire the chutzpah of the marketers at pharmaceutical giant Glaxo-SmithKline PLC. They've figured out how to increase sales for one of their most popular drugs by more than $300 million a year. All they had to do was invent a disease for it to treat.
The name of the drug is Requip. It works by regulating the brain chemical dopamine, which is responsible for controlling body movements. It's effective enough that it has become the drug of choice for doctors treating patients with Parkinson's disease.
Then someone at Glaxo had an "ah-ha!" moment. There are millions more people who suffer from leg twitches at night than Parkinson's. What if Requip became the drug of choice for them? Only problem was, "leg twitches" isn't a disease. So HMOs and insurance companies won't pay for prescriptions to treat it.
The wizards at Glaxo decided on a three-step campaign to change all that. First, they spent millions of dollars to educate the medical profession about a new disease. But not "leg twitches." No, "restless leg syndrome" sounds much more serious. And "syndrome" is almost the same thing as "disease," isn't it? Glaxo's ads in medical journals started carrying the tagline, "GlaxoSmithKline: A Leader in RLS Research."
Next, Glaxo hired dozens of "sleep-disorder specialists" to go around the country, pitching local doctors about the seriousness of RLS and the wonders Requip could work in treating it. They invited the docs to lavish meals at country clubs and four-star restaurants, with Glaxo picking up the tab. They attended by the hundreds.
Finally, Glaxo spent millions more on TV ads aimed directly at consumers, to tell them that their pain has a name - and a drug to help treat it. Before you could say "gimme some of them pills," Glaxo's sales of Requip increased by more than $300 million a year. As they say, that ain't hay.
But before you rush off to your doctor and ask him to prescribe a bottle or two of Requip for you, here's a suggestion from one of my favorite health writers. Dr. Robert Rowen, editor of Second Opinion newsletter (www.secondopinionnewsletter.com), says if you're bothered by leg twitches at night, chances are you're suffering from a potassium deficiency.
He suggests eating a banana or two before you go to bed. Or get a bottle of potassium supplements from your local health food store. You could solve your problem without spending a fortune … or taking a fancy new drug with who-knows-what side effects.
New Diet Pill
This goes into the Friday dump, since that's pretty much were it belongs:
Diet Pill okay'd by FDA
Funny thing is, you don't even have to read the fine print. Right up front they say it only works with diet and exercise, and if you were eating well and exercising you wouldn't need it. They're also saying it could cost $60 a month. This is equal to a gym membership, payments on a super nice bike, a bushel of fruits and veggies or, hell, a round of drinks for you friends as a reward for all those improvements in diet and exercise you've been making since you decided to just do that part of the equation and skip to drug.
Also, if this supplement sounds interesting to you, consider trying chitosan first. It's cheaper and, more or less, does the same thing with less gastric stress. I've seen it be effective in certain circumstances but, in general, it's no major player in ones fitness transformation.
Diet Pill okay'd by FDA
Funny thing is, you don't even have to read the fine print. Right up front they say it only works with diet and exercise, and if you were eating well and exercising you wouldn't need it. They're also saying it could cost $60 a month. This is equal to a gym membership, payments on a super nice bike, a bushel of fruits and veggies or, hell, a round of drinks for you friends as a reward for all those improvements in diet and exercise you've been making since you decided to just do that part of the equation and skip to drug.
Also, if this supplement sounds interesting to you, consider trying chitosan first. It's cheaper and, more or less, does the same thing with less gastric stress. I've seen it be effective in certain circumstances but, in general, it's no major player in ones fitness transformation.
The Hardest Endurance Events on the Planet
After receiving some feedback, here's what I've come up with as the hardest recreational endurance events in the world. My definition of recreational is that anyone may enter. You may have to qualify but that standard isn't based on natural ability. This eliminates obvious stuff, like riding the Tour de France but also things like age group world championships and races like Hawaii Ironman. I wanted to make a list that anyone reading could think "I want to try that" and then, with enough motivation, have a chance to do it.
This list is my first attempt and in no particular order as to difficulty. I've tried to encompass as many different diciplines as possible. All feedback is welcome.
Badwater 135 (or 146 since you SHOULD continue to the summit once you've come all this way) - From what I can tell, this is the world's must rugged foot race, mainly because it's held on what's supposed to be the hottest weekend of any particular year. In temps that nearly always exceed 120 degrees F, you run through the desert from the lowest point in the United States to the highest (in the lower 48). The entire race is on pavement, adding to its nastiness, since runners must stay on the white lines of paint to keep their shoes from melting. Oddly enough, this race is popular enough that it's hard to get in, so get creative with your resume.
Race Across America - This could also count as the most boring but I don't think anyone could argue its gruel factor. Just sitting on your bike for this long is daunting enough. But you've also got to pedal, and at a decent pace to stay in the race. Add lack of sleep in extreme heat, cold, snow, rain, wind and then throw in the occasional tornado and you've got the perfect recipe for sheer misery. Anyone can enter but you've got to complete a qualifier of, at least, 400 miles within a respectable time of the winner.
The Norseman - Billing itself as the world's toughest triathlon, it's certainly hard to argue. Only slightly longer than a traditional ironman, the course profile alone looks ridiculous. This is before being told that the swim is in 60 degree water and the run is a rocky ascent (no trail from what I can tell) to the summit of a mountain.
Iditarod Trail Invitational - Dogs? We don't need no stinking dogs! This human powered version of the famously miserable Iditarod really needs no description. It's Febuary in northern Alaska. It's dark. It's really really cold. And you get to ride your bike 1100 miles accross the ice. Good times.
The Hardrock 100 - The trail runners holy grail, this 100 mile jaunt across the top of the Rockies is a shoo-in to make the list. Many life long ulra runners never finish this extreme test of will that features nearly 70,000' of elevation change over rock and snow at an average of 11,000'. Record holder Karl Melzer calls it "the hardest ultra on the planet."
Climbing Mount Everest - Sure sure, K2 is heaps harder, as are many peaks, but none of those are available to the recreational athlete. But Everest, most famously, now is. If you're rich or good at schmoozing pretty much anyone can get themselves a shot at standing on the world's rooftop. But cash and cocktail partying aside, you've still got to get yourself up the sucker and no guide, fixed rope, oxygen tanks or Sherpa can do it for you. Most that try don't make it. Those that do come down changed. And some don't come down at all. Commercial as it gets, high altitude roulette is still a dangerous game.
Primal Quest - According to Rebecca Rusch, one of the sports elders, adventure racing ain't what it used to be. "I'd say, for sure, the old style Raid Galuouse would be on this list. In those days even the organizers didn't know what to expect. It was truly adventurous." But commercialism and a "safety first" attitude aside, AR is still a tough test of the limits we can endure. And none, currently, is tougher than the Primal Quest.
Crocodile Trophy - This 10 stage, 1400 kilometer stage race through the Austrailian Outback is the antithesis to the Iditarod race. The race crosses Oz through what is famously some of the most inhospitible terrain in the world. From rain drenching rain forest to the bleakest desert, the course profile doesn't begin to do this race justice. Most of the competitors are elite, if not pro, yet the most common quote heard throughout the race is "I expected it to be hard but completely underestimated it." Probably why the organizers have dubbed it "the toughest test on two wheels."
This list is my first attempt and in no particular order as to difficulty. I've tried to encompass as many different diciplines as possible. All feedback is welcome.
Badwater 135 (or 146 since you SHOULD continue to the summit once you've come all this way) - From what I can tell, this is the world's must rugged foot race, mainly because it's held on what's supposed to be the hottest weekend of any particular year. In temps that nearly always exceed 120 degrees F, you run through the desert from the lowest point in the United States to the highest (in the lower 48). The entire race is on pavement, adding to its nastiness, since runners must stay on the white lines of paint to keep their shoes from melting. Oddly enough, this race is popular enough that it's hard to get in, so get creative with your resume.
Race Across America - This could also count as the most boring but I don't think anyone could argue its gruel factor. Just sitting on your bike for this long is daunting enough. But you've also got to pedal, and at a decent pace to stay in the race. Add lack of sleep in extreme heat, cold, snow, rain, wind and then throw in the occasional tornado and you've got the perfect recipe for sheer misery. Anyone can enter but you've got to complete a qualifier of, at least, 400 miles within a respectable time of the winner.
The Norseman - Billing itself as the world's toughest triathlon, it's certainly hard to argue. Only slightly longer than a traditional ironman, the course profile alone looks ridiculous. This is before being told that the swim is in 60 degree water and the run is a rocky ascent (no trail from what I can tell) to the summit of a mountain.
Iditarod Trail Invitational - Dogs? We don't need no stinking dogs! This human powered version of the famously miserable Iditarod really needs no description. It's Febuary in northern Alaska. It's dark. It's really really cold. And you get to ride your bike 1100 miles accross the ice. Good times.
The Hardrock 100 - The trail runners holy grail, this 100 mile jaunt across the top of the Rockies is a shoo-in to make the list. Many life long ulra runners never finish this extreme test of will that features nearly 70,000' of elevation change over rock and snow at an average of 11,000'. Record holder Karl Melzer calls it "the hardest ultra on the planet."
Climbing Mount Everest - Sure sure, K2 is heaps harder, as are many peaks, but none of those are available to the recreational athlete. But Everest, most famously, now is. If you're rich or good at schmoozing pretty much anyone can get themselves a shot at standing on the world's rooftop. But cash and cocktail partying aside, you've still got to get yourself up the sucker and no guide, fixed rope, oxygen tanks or Sherpa can do it for you. Most that try don't make it. Those that do come down changed. And some don't come down at all. Commercial as it gets, high altitude roulette is still a dangerous game.
Primal Quest - According to Rebecca Rusch, one of the sports elders, adventure racing ain't what it used to be. "I'd say, for sure, the old style Raid Galuouse would be on this list. In those days even the organizers didn't know what to expect. It was truly adventurous." But commercialism and a "safety first" attitude aside, AR is still a tough test of the limits we can endure. And none, currently, is tougher than the Primal Quest.
Crocodile Trophy - This 10 stage, 1400 kilometer stage race through the Austrailian Outback is the antithesis to the Iditarod race. The race crosses Oz through what is famously some of the most inhospitible terrain in the world. From rain drenching rain forest to the bleakest desert, the course profile doesn't begin to do this race justice. Most of the competitors are elite, if not pro, yet the most common quote heard throughout the race is "I expected it to be hard but completely underestimated it." Probably why the organizers have dubbed it "the toughest test on two wheels."
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Groundhog Day
So some rodent named Phil doesn't see his shadow (nice 'stache, btw) and, voila, it's instantly spring around here. I'm surprised the Bush administration hasn't blamed Phil and his kind for global warming and declared war on groundhogs. Regardless of our impending demise, folks around these parts seem to be enjoying it. With all the shorts and tank top being sported, you'd think it was summer and not in the high 40s. It even inspired me to tick the year's first 5.12, complete my first ridge traverse, take my first road ride, and wash the salt off of my car (that's right, it's black).
Alas, there is snow in the forecast. So I'd better wrap it up and get out there while I can.
Monday, February 05, 2007
The State of Cycling
Oh, dear.
From an article in Velo News:
Sadly, Hamilton's last day as a pro serves as a painful reminder of just what the sport has suffered through in recent years. That day's stage was won by Roberto Heras (stripped of the 2005 Vuelta title and suspended for EPO), who knocked Floyd Landis (facing the loss of the 2006 Tour de France title on a testosterone charge) out of the leader's jersey. Finishing second that day was Santiago Perez (suspended for blood doping), who finished ahead of third-placed Francisco Mancebo (named in Operación Puerto and ejected from the 2006 Tour).
From an article in Velo News:
Sadly, Hamilton's last day as a pro serves as a painful reminder of just what the sport has suffered through in recent years. That day's stage was won by Roberto Heras (stripped of the 2005 Vuelta title and suspended for EPO), who knocked Floyd Landis (facing the loss of the 2006 Tour de France title on a testosterone charge) out of the leader's jersey. Finishing second that day was Santiago Perez (suspended for blood doping), who finished ahead of third-placed Francisco Mancebo (named in Operación Puerto and ejected from the 2006 Tour).
Great Article on Doping
For your Monday morning reading pleasure (I mean, what else are you going to do at work?) This is an interesting piece about an aging recreational cyclist who tests modern doping procedures. It ties in well to blog I wrote last month on doping in sports and some of the other stuff from the tour. One thing to consider is that this guy is, probably, in his late 40s and the performance boosting difference between him and someone in there physical prime is huge. He's saying 10 to 15% (based on feel), whereas it's much less for someone younger with higher hormonal levels. Then there are the yahoos from Extreme Bodybuilding who chide his regement ("What are you, afraid to get strong?") These knuckleheads have and always will exist. They might, and I mean MAY, get more performance out of themselves but are also the ones getting themselves dead.
This is long, but if you're interested in performance-enhaning doping it's worth you time. Enjoy!
Drug Test
This is long, but if you're interested in performance-enhaning doping it's worth you time. Enjoy!
Drug Test
Monday, January 29, 2007
More On Access Issue In San Diego
I blogged on this subject a few weeks back. It's getting down to crunch time. Jeff Brown will be on Full Focus KPBS San Diego, tonight
This is concerning the access issue which could be about a lot more than San Diego. Tune in or head to the San Diego Access page to see how you can help.
Full Focus KPBS
http://www.kpbs.org/fullfocus
http://www.birthdaychallenge.com/access.html
This is concerning the access issue which could be about a lot more than San Diego. Tune in or head to the San Diego Access page to see how you can help.
Full Focus KPBS
http://www.kpbs.org/fullfocus
http://www.birthdaychallenge.com/access.html
January Report: Base Training
Wow, that was a quick month! Lots of work. Not so much training. All the smog you need.
With a big year ahead, this report card is going to look pretty dismal. However, it doesn't feel dismal. I'm building base, not injured, and not sick. Given we've had 25 red alert smog days this January--compared to 3 all of last year--I think I'm going to be okay with it. After all, my main challenge for the year is to remain uninjured.
Jan Report
Days trained: 31
Longest day: maybe 3 hours
Shortest day: 20 minute set of pull-ups (push-ups, etc)
Long run: about 9 miles of steep trail
Longest ride: Hmmm, maybe an hour fifteen on the hippy bike
Longest trainer session: 45 minutes
Days on the bike (trainer included): 4 or 5
Days skiing: 4
Days climbing: 7 (includes gym)
5.12s: 0
12s attempted: 0
Swim days: 0
Trad routes: 0
First ascents: 0, though one bolted at The Owl Tor, which is no small matter
Summits: 1
Injuries: 0
Grade: C +
As bad as this sounds, I feel pretty good. I would have gotten on my bike more had it not been for the inversion which forced most of my training up into the canyons. And I've been backing off on workouts to ensure I don't overdo it. Slow steady progress will be fine. There's no rush. Some of my chronic injuries could use a bit more love but they aren't really bothering me at all, which is huge. I am jonzin' for a big day, which is going to happen soon.
photo: me n' ratso on Grandeur peak
Unhappy Meals
This is the kind of stuff I might write on a reactionary day, albeit with great detail. It's great, for the most part, and will worth your time (12 pages, so it takes some) if you're concerned with your health. It's by the guy who wrote the Ommnivoire's Dilemma, Michael Pollan.
There are a couple points of conjecture that I'll address now. First, in regards to the female study where he does a bit of math to state they lied, he could be flawed (though I complete agree about their lying over how many calories they are eating). I've had many clients (hundreds, if not thousands on the Message Boards) that do get stuck in low cal mode and can't drop weight. This is especially true if one is on an exercise program. If you undereat chronically your body will shut down your metabolic processes, in a survival-type response, in an attempt to keep you alive. So an under eater will go into an overtrained state, resulting in a weight plateau.
He also states that science shows that supplements don't work. This is not true. They often, if not most of the time, don't work as advertised (which I believe is his point) and there is definitely a huge issue with taking supplements and your normal diet due to your body's pH balance, meaning a healthier person eating a balanced diet will benefit more from supplements than someone eating crap. But they can aid your diet, for certain. There are plenty of studies to show efficacy. Besides that, I have trial and errored just about everything on the planet. I know when something is doing something and when it's not.
Regardless, it's a fine piece of research and should be considered.
Enjoy.
Unhappy Meals
It's the NY Times, so you may have to sign up (which is free)
There are a couple points of conjecture that I'll address now. First, in regards to the female study where he does a bit of math to state they lied, he could be flawed (though I complete agree about their lying over how many calories they are eating). I've had many clients (hundreds, if not thousands on the Message Boards) that do get stuck in low cal mode and can't drop weight. This is especially true if one is on an exercise program. If you undereat chronically your body will shut down your metabolic processes, in a survival-type response, in an attempt to keep you alive. So an under eater will go into an overtrained state, resulting in a weight plateau.
He also states that science shows that supplements don't work. This is not true. They often, if not most of the time, don't work as advertised (which I believe is his point) and there is definitely a huge issue with taking supplements and your normal diet due to your body's pH balance, meaning a healthier person eating a balanced diet will benefit more from supplements than someone eating crap. But they can aid your diet, for certain. There are plenty of studies to show efficacy. Besides that, I have trial and errored just about everything on the planet. I know when something is doing something and when it's not.
Regardless, it's a fine piece of research and should be considered.
Enjoy.
Unhappy Meals
It's the NY Times, so you may have to sign up (which is free)
Friday, January 26, 2007
Running In The Snow
I've found a new sport: snow running (like I really need more options around here). Our trail system stays in place during the winter, at least the main ateries, and you can pretty much access all of the peaks and canyons. After a couple of slogs up stuff in my Gor-tex boots, I decided it was overkill and reverted back to my running shoes, with Yaktracks added for traction. With my new found ability to cover heaps of soft ground I'm actually thinking that the winter might be the best time of year to get a lot of base mileage. I think it'll add ten years on to my body's ability to run.
Perhaps even more important, it's adding to Tuco's ability to run. At 12, he's slowed quite a bit. I can't really run with him at all on streets anymore and, even on trails, it's purely aerobic training only. In deep snow, however, he smokes me, at least downhill. I think that because there's little pounding on his well-used joints he feels like a puppy again. It's fantastic.
A typical day has us both putting in a two to six miles, usually with a lot of elevation gain. Then the old man takes a powder while I head out for another loop or, perhaps, a ski. My base is starting to come and, more importantly, nothing hurts.
I was thinking yesterday that it's so fun I'm going to have trouble getting used to running on hard ground and that all those rocks in Moab next month might be kinda rugged if I don't make myself do something different.
Today is on-snow demo day at OR. Good times...
Sandbagging the Rat
Me n' Ratso headed up to Sundance this week to see a couple of friends and, let me tell ya, Tuco loves film festivals; especially when they're heald in the snow. He's a very social animal, which comes from growing up in Isla Vista (college town) where he could roam and socialize at will. At Sundance, he was king. At one event he made himself the official greeter. As he welcomed a van full of actors to their premier, they'd each say 'hi'(or woof), pet him, and ask if he was the official dog of Sundance. On that day, he pretty much was.
It also didn't hurt things that Park City is dog friendly and snowy. We ran all around town, played with dogs, and even poached a ski run. I swear that as we were getting in the car he said to me, "You mean we could have lived in a place like this my entire life instead of Southern California? You're such a sandbagger!"
Thursday, January 18, 2007
The 10 Toughest Events In The World
I'll be back to blogging shortly. In the mean time, I'm tying to compile a list of the 10 toughest events that the public can enter. I promise to do something fun with the list. It can be any sport, any place, any amount of time. The only rule is suffering. Mas suffering.
For example:
What's the toughest ultra (Hardrock, Barkeleys?)
The toughest tri (a quick search came up with Powerman Zolfingen, even though it's a du)?
Badwater is probably on the list.
The toughest RAAM qualifier or, perhaps, RAAM itself: even though it's not public, qualifying isn't that hard.
Toughest adventure race?
Iditarod (can anyone enter)?
Mtn bike race (Trans Alp)?
Toughest road race (Everest Challenge)?
Toughest ski tour?
Climbing El Cap in a day, even though it's not an "event"?
Lookin' for ideas. Hit me up.
Thanks!
Steve
Challenges for 2007
So far, I've trained every day this year but, as was the case all of last year, it's been without much focus because I'm in "transition". Well, I'm officially not in transistion any longer and been pondering the road ahead. After months of random consideration, the objective, for 2007, is...(insert drum roll)... endurance.
I do so many sports it's always difficult which ones to focus on. At first I thought it'd be climbing next, since I now live so close to a lot I haven't done. Then it was performance racing (ie - short) as one of these years I'd like to make a focused effort on a good placing at age group worlds. Instead, I've decided to focus on distance.
I know, I know, I've said things like "distance is boring" during Furnace Creek and "I'll never swim four miles again unless it's from a sinking boat," during my challege in 2000 but, as tends to happen with me, I've turned a fatalistc staying on its head to creat a new challenge. Maybe it's because I'm dating an ultrarunner. Who knows? Certainly not me. All I know is that I'm constantly looking for new ways to push my limits, both physically and mentally, and that if I don't have that proverbial carrot to chase, I begin to wilt.
Regardless, it's time to get something on paper and focus my training. Henceforth, 2007 is the year of Never Say Never. My main objective for this year--because it's something that I've never done--is to go that entire year without getting injured.
So here's the plan:
Finish a 100 mile race. I've done a lot of running around in the mountains and have no real idea how far I've gone in a push but I'm pretty sure it's not been 100 miles. Furthmore, the pressure of "racing" 100 miles is something different altogether (as opposed to the pressure of staying alive, which I've faced coutless times). Furthermore, this race has the be considered 'hard' in the world of such things. Since Hardrock is considered the hardest, I must choose a race that qualifies me for Hardrock. This short lists what they consider to be the world's hardest ultras.
The Firecracker 400. Yeah, yeah, so I was bored during Furnace Creek. That was on my home turf. This time, I'll head to Alaska, a place I've never been, and ride 400 miles in a push. I'm sure the new scenery will help, as will not starting the race injured. I'll need a crew. Anyone in Alaska want to drive through the night at 18mph?
Climb 46 5.12s. This used to be easy but it will require a consistant level of climbing training throughout the year. I once thought my days of inspired climbing were over but, somehow, I've found a bit of spark again.
Establish 46 first ascents. Again, I've said my days of bolting were mainly over but it's time to update my guidebook and I've found some new crags that would be a major addition. This will be my main act of public service for the year. It's a LOT of public service!
Do a big wall in a day. More inspired climbing. This will force me to a place I haven't been in a while.
Swim 4.6 miles in one go. That quote, above, happened here. I really dislike swimming, epsecially in a pool. An the ocean is now a long way away. My goal is to spend enough time in the pool that I come to peace with this negative place in my mind.
Finish the "40 Peaks" run. This is a twice failed challenge for me. Both times I ammended it and did something but my original course, one that makes the Angeles Crest 100 mile race seem like it's flat, is still un-done.
Complete a solo 24-hour mtn bike race. Why not? I like riding my mtn bike. I don't know if I ever said I wouldn't do this but it falls into that boring catagory, for sure.
Ski 46,000 vertical feet in a day. As a brand new skier, this is just something that sounds like I should do. Will it be hard? I have no idea. It might be hard just to ride the lifts this much.
Ride the 6 Canyons around SLC. This is the local cyclist's holy grail. Actually, it's 5 canyons but I read a report about one guy who added a sixth so that's what I'm going to do. Since it's also my friend Dustin's birthday challenge for the year (or at least part of it), I'm sure I'll be inspired to train.
That seems like enough. I'm sure there will be plenty of other challenges along to road. Step one will be the Red Hot 50 in Moab in a little less than three weeks. Time to get training.
I do so many sports it's always difficult which ones to focus on. At first I thought it'd be climbing next, since I now live so close to a lot I haven't done. Then it was performance racing (ie - short) as one of these years I'd like to make a focused effort on a good placing at age group worlds. Instead, I've decided to focus on distance.
I know, I know, I've said things like "distance is boring" during Furnace Creek and "I'll never swim four miles again unless it's from a sinking boat," during my challege in 2000 but, as tends to happen with me, I've turned a fatalistc staying on its head to creat a new challenge. Maybe it's because I'm dating an ultrarunner. Who knows? Certainly not me. All I know is that I'm constantly looking for new ways to push my limits, both physically and mentally, and that if I don't have that proverbial carrot to chase, I begin to wilt.
Regardless, it's time to get something on paper and focus my training. Henceforth, 2007 is the year of Never Say Never. My main objective for this year--because it's something that I've never done--is to go that entire year without getting injured.
So here's the plan:
Finish a 100 mile race. I've done a lot of running around in the mountains and have no real idea how far I've gone in a push but I'm pretty sure it's not been 100 miles. Furthmore, the pressure of "racing" 100 miles is something different altogether (as opposed to the pressure of staying alive, which I've faced coutless times). Furthermore, this race has the be considered 'hard' in the world of such things. Since Hardrock is considered the hardest, I must choose a race that qualifies me for Hardrock. This short lists what they consider to be the world's hardest ultras.
The Firecracker 400. Yeah, yeah, so I was bored during Furnace Creek. That was on my home turf. This time, I'll head to Alaska, a place I've never been, and ride 400 miles in a push. I'm sure the new scenery will help, as will not starting the race injured. I'll need a crew. Anyone in Alaska want to drive through the night at 18mph?
Climb 46 5.12s. This used to be easy but it will require a consistant level of climbing training throughout the year. I once thought my days of inspired climbing were over but, somehow, I've found a bit of spark again.
Establish 46 first ascents. Again, I've said my days of bolting were mainly over but it's time to update my guidebook and I've found some new crags that would be a major addition. This will be my main act of public service for the year. It's a LOT of public service!
Do a big wall in a day. More inspired climbing. This will force me to a place I haven't been in a while.
Swim 4.6 miles in one go. That quote, above, happened here. I really dislike swimming, epsecially in a pool. An the ocean is now a long way away. My goal is to spend enough time in the pool that I come to peace with this negative place in my mind.
Finish the "40 Peaks" run. This is a twice failed challenge for me. Both times I ammended it and did something but my original course, one that makes the Angeles Crest 100 mile race seem like it's flat, is still un-done.
Complete a solo 24-hour mtn bike race. Why not? I like riding my mtn bike. I don't know if I ever said I wouldn't do this but it falls into that boring catagory, for sure.
Ski 46,000 vertical feet in a day. As a brand new skier, this is just something that sounds like I should do. Will it be hard? I have no idea. It might be hard just to ride the lifts this much.
Ride the 6 Canyons around SLC. This is the local cyclist's holy grail. Actually, it's 5 canyons but I read a report about one guy who added a sixth so that's what I'm going to do. Since it's also my friend Dustin's birthday challenge for the year (or at least part of it), I'm sure I'll be inspired to train.
That seems like enough. I'm sure there will be plenty of other challenges along to road. Step one will be the Red Hot 50 in Moab in a little less than three weeks. Time to get training.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Public Access Closures And How You Can Help
Maybe this is a lame "blog" post but it's important so I'm sort of spamming it through all the means that I have. It's essentially a plea for help concerning access to our public lands. They are being threatened in a manner that appears to be environmental but is, in actually, an insidious threat to our environment and the animals it's supposed to be protecting. Please take the time to read and help out.
Over the years I've dealt with this issue quite a lot as a climber/activist. Every time I've developed a new climbing area I've approached the land use management of the area to secure our access to the cliffs involved. This has often, if not always, addressed the situation of the local bird species.
What we've found is that climbers--and other outdoor user groups, especially those that don't use motors--obstruct animal habitat very little, especially when compared to the natural impact of society via pollution, road and building development, and so forth (which is true even when development is adjacent to an area, such as National Forests). Even the motorized user groups, as well as hunters, do very little to negatively affect species when compared to the above.
In fact, when compared to urban spawl and other sorts of wilderness encroachment, it's can be easily argued the climbers, hikers, etc have an overall positive effect on the environment, especially the longevity of plant and animal species.
Furthermore, the only hope that we have of enacting truly protective legislation over time is by creating more public awareness (and, hence, votes). By closing access to our public lands we reduce our chances to create public awareness.
Exposing people to nature and wildlife is, by far, the most effective and powerful means of motivating people to protect our environment. This has been proven with studies using inner-city kids. It's an out of sight, out of mind mentality. But the vivid imagery of the wilderness stays in the mind long after one is exposed, leading to serendipitous environmentalists.
Our land use management has been under fire due to budget cuts (especially under the current administration) which has forced them into a reactionary status of involvement. The reason that they support these closers is simple; it's easy. It's also "safe" in that our legal and management system is messed up to the point that a ranger can be personally liable for non-protection of an area. If this sounds insane, well, it is. But we're dealing with this exact situation in the Angeles National Forest currently.
What this does is create stupid blanket policies to "protect" species which, in turn, lowers public awareness which, in turn, makes it easier for developers to ultimately get their hands on these lands. If you don't believe me just do a little hoof work to see how our lands are getting sold off to developers. It's insidious. It affects our lives, our children's lives, and threatens the very species of plants and animals that it is supposedly there to protect.
Thanks for reading. Now see below.
Hi Everyone,
This affects all of us. While it appears to be about San Diego county only, if it's allowed to go through it could set a precedent that could affect all public lands. Keep in mind that I'm a conservationist and would support legislation that would help animals. This, however, is just government being lazy and, in the end, will end up hurting the species. Feel free write me if you want more explanation about how (or maybe I'll blog about it.)Either way, read below.
Thanks for your time!
Steve
-- Instructions Below --
Deadline for public comment ends on January 12, 2007
The Cleveland National Forest in San Diego, California is about to impose access closures to ALL forms of recreational use at four National Forest areas: Corte Madera Mountain, El Cajon Mountain, Rock Mountain, and Eagle Peak. Very alarming is that this information is not available to the public via the Forest Service website, the Federal Register, or SOPA (Schedule Of Proposed Actions) as required within the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969.
These closures will ban ALL human activity within a "½ mile radius of any current or future golden eagle, prairie falcon, "or "other cliff-nesting species" nests, even though these "other" species types are not explicitly identified in the proposed closures. However, given that the closures are in part being based on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1916, of the over 800 birds listed, many are quite common such as the swallow, hummingbird, and raven. The results could be catastrophic by not only closing local areas, but establishing legal precedent for widespread closures across all U.S. National Forest! These closures affect climbers, hikers, backpackers, mountain-bikers, horseback riders, and off-road enthusiasts alike, setting legal precedent to close off multiple recreational areas within any National Forest!!!
Join this important letter writing campaign (instructions at the bottom) and tell the Cleveland National Forest that you oppose all closures of this type! If no comments are received during the public comment period, the Forest Service will assume that we support their proposals and they will close our recreational areas.
Tell the Cleveland National Forest that you oppose these closures because:
These closures are inconsistent with the USFS multiple use mandate, "as set forth in law" to meet the diverse needs of people,†and as such do not adequately take into consideration the unique value of climbing, hiking, backpacking, mountain-biking, horseback riding, and off-roading on forest lands.
The Forest Service is misinterpreting its legal authority to use the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), together with the Golden Eagle Protection Act, to close large tracks of our public lands for passive uses, be it hiking, riding, picnicking, or rock climbing. This is a radically extreme method to limit recreational use on our public lands given that the MBTA was initially entered into by congress in 1916 to prevent the over-commercialization of migratory birds.
In particular, the Corte Madera proposed closure is being based on the "historical" presence of eagles since golden eagles have not nested there for over 15 years. As such, this measure is extreme and onerous and based on unscientific reasoning.
The proposed closure limit distances are arbitrary because they are not based on exact nest locations, not accurately depicted from presumed nests on the USFS closure proposal maps, or based on sound scientific evidence.
The Golden Eagle and Prairie Falcon are not threatened or endangered species and therefore do not need drastic protection measures like these closures to breed successfully.
Climbers, Hikers, and other National Forest users have co-existed with wildlife peacefully for decades; therefore, among other factors, changing climate conditions and decline of natural prey populations are more likely to blame for any suspected loss in bird numbers.
These closures are inconsistent with bird closure precedent already established nation-wide.
Simply cut-&-paste the above reasons to TWO separate letters (added comments definitely help)
Title each of your letters separately (it is VERY IMPORTANT that the titles are accurate)
First letter -- Comments to proposed seasonal closures at Corte Madera Mountain & El Cajon Mountain
Second letter -- Comments to proposed seasonal closures at Rock Mountain & Eagle Peak
Send directly to the Cleveland National Forest at:
Kirsten Winter
Cleveland National Forest
10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd #200
San Diego, Ca 92127
********************************************
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!
********************************************
If you e-mail your response and it kicks back,
your comment will not be recognized or counted...if this happens you
either MUST send in a hard copy, or forward it to
<mailroom_r5_cleveland@fs.fed.us> Attn. Kirsten Winter. This way if
her system crashes (I certainly hope it does), all your VERY IMPORTANT
comments will be saved, counted, and make a difference!
And hey, if their mailroom server crashes, all the better...annnnnnnd,
should this actually happen to you (wouldn't that be great...let's
shoot for it), please send in a hard copy letter anyway...I say we run-up the
scoreboard on this one!!!
Print tons of copies and pass them out to everyone you see over the
holidays!
p.s. personally, I think a hard copy letter mailed in is always better
(heard once that agencies equate ten e-mails to one actual letter), but
whatever works for you, just please, please, please get those comments
in before January 12th!!!
Over the years I've dealt with this issue quite a lot as a climber/activist. Every time I've developed a new climbing area I've approached the land use management of the area to secure our access to the cliffs involved. This has often, if not always, addressed the situation of the local bird species.
What we've found is that climbers--and other outdoor user groups, especially those that don't use motors--obstruct animal habitat very little, especially when compared to the natural impact of society via pollution, road and building development, and so forth (which is true even when development is adjacent to an area, such as National Forests). Even the motorized user groups, as well as hunters, do very little to negatively affect species when compared to the above.
In fact, when compared to urban spawl and other sorts of wilderness encroachment, it's can be easily argued the climbers, hikers, etc have an overall positive effect on the environment, especially the longevity of plant and animal species.
Furthermore, the only hope that we have of enacting truly protective legislation over time is by creating more public awareness (and, hence, votes). By closing access to our public lands we reduce our chances to create public awareness.
Exposing people to nature and wildlife is, by far, the most effective and powerful means of motivating people to protect our environment. This has been proven with studies using inner-city kids. It's an out of sight, out of mind mentality. But the vivid imagery of the wilderness stays in the mind long after one is exposed, leading to serendipitous environmentalists.
Our land use management has been under fire due to budget cuts (especially under the current administration) which has forced them into a reactionary status of involvement. The reason that they support these closers is simple; it's easy. It's also "safe" in that our legal and management system is messed up to the point that a ranger can be personally liable for non-protection of an area. If this sounds insane, well, it is. But we're dealing with this exact situation in the Angeles National Forest currently.
What this does is create stupid blanket policies to "protect" species which, in turn, lowers public awareness which, in turn, makes it easier for developers to ultimately get their hands on these lands. If you don't believe me just do a little hoof work to see how our lands are getting sold off to developers. It's insidious. It affects our lives, our children's lives, and threatens the very species of plants and animals that it is supposedly there to protect.
Thanks for reading. Now see below.
Hi Everyone,
This affects all of us. While it appears to be about San Diego county only, if it's allowed to go through it could set a precedent that could affect all public lands. Keep in mind that I'm a conservationist and would support legislation that would help animals. This, however, is just government being lazy and, in the end, will end up hurting the species. Feel free write me if you want more explanation about how (or maybe I'll blog about it.)Either way, read below.
Thanks for your time!
Steve
-- Instructions Below --
Deadline for public comment ends on January 12, 2007
The Cleveland National Forest in San Diego, California is about to impose access closures to ALL forms of recreational use at four National Forest areas: Corte Madera Mountain, El Cajon Mountain, Rock Mountain, and Eagle Peak. Very alarming is that this information is not available to the public via the Forest Service website, the Federal Register, or SOPA (Schedule Of Proposed Actions) as required within the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969.
These closures will ban ALL human activity within a "½ mile radius of any current or future golden eagle, prairie falcon, "or "other cliff-nesting species" nests, even though these "other" species types are not explicitly identified in the proposed closures. However, given that the closures are in part being based on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1916, of the over 800 birds listed, many are quite common such as the swallow, hummingbird, and raven. The results could be catastrophic by not only closing local areas, but establishing legal precedent for widespread closures across all U.S. National Forest! These closures affect climbers, hikers, backpackers, mountain-bikers, horseback riders, and off-road enthusiasts alike, setting legal precedent to close off multiple recreational areas within any National Forest!!!
Join this important letter writing campaign (instructions at the bottom) and tell the Cleveland National Forest that you oppose all closures of this type! If no comments are received during the public comment period, the Forest Service will assume that we support their proposals and they will close our recreational areas.
Tell the Cleveland National Forest that you oppose these closures because:
These closures are inconsistent with the USFS multiple use mandate, "as set forth in law" to meet the diverse needs of people,†and as such do not adequately take into consideration the unique value of climbing, hiking, backpacking, mountain-biking, horseback riding, and off-roading on forest lands.
The Forest Service is misinterpreting its legal authority to use the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), together with the Golden Eagle Protection Act, to close large tracks of our public lands for passive uses, be it hiking, riding, picnicking, or rock climbing. This is a radically extreme method to limit recreational use on our public lands given that the MBTA was initially entered into by congress in 1916 to prevent the over-commercialization of migratory birds.
In particular, the Corte Madera proposed closure is being based on the "historical" presence of eagles since golden eagles have not nested there for over 15 years. As such, this measure is extreme and onerous and based on unscientific reasoning.
The proposed closure limit distances are arbitrary because they are not based on exact nest locations, not accurately depicted from presumed nests on the USFS closure proposal maps, or based on sound scientific evidence.
The Golden Eagle and Prairie Falcon are not threatened or endangered species and therefore do not need drastic protection measures like these closures to breed successfully.
Climbers, Hikers, and other National Forest users have co-existed with wildlife peacefully for decades; therefore, among other factors, changing climate conditions and decline of natural prey populations are more likely to blame for any suspected loss in bird numbers.
These closures are inconsistent with bird closure precedent already established nation-wide.
Simply cut-&-paste the above reasons to TWO separate letters (added comments definitely help)
Title each of your letters separately (it is VERY IMPORTANT that the titles are accurate)
First letter -- Comments to proposed seasonal closures at Corte Madera Mountain & El Cajon Mountain
Second letter -- Comments to proposed seasonal closures at Rock Mountain & Eagle Peak
Send directly to the Cleveland National Forest at:
Kirsten Winter
Cleveland National Forest
10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd #200
San Diego, Ca 92127
********************************************
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!
********************************************
If you e-mail your response and it kicks back,
your comment will not be recognized or counted...if this happens you
either MUST send in a hard copy, or forward it to
<mailroom_r5_cleveland@fs.fed.us> Attn. Kirsten Winter. This way if
her system crashes (I certainly hope it does), all your VERY IMPORTANT
comments will be saved, counted, and make a difference!
And hey, if their mailroom server crashes, all the better...annnnnnnd,
should this actually happen to you (wouldn't that be great...let's
shoot for it), please send in a hard copy letter anyway...I say we run-up the
scoreboard on this one!!!
Print tons of copies and pass them out to everyone you see over the
holidays!
p.s. personally, I think a hard copy letter mailed in is always better
(heard once that agencies equate ten e-mails to one actual letter), but
whatever works for you, just please, please, please get those comments
in before January 12th!!!
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