Some Thoughts About Ragnar Trail Los Coyotes

photo by Juddson Taube

After months of putting an Ultra team together and planning, preparing and purchasing for the Ragnar Trail Los Coyotes event, it has come and gone.  I will attempt to assess this event in a balanced method so as to assist anyone may or may not have run a Ragnar Trail event before, or for someone  considering this particular venue for next year.

First a few caveats, I am not a Ragnarian. This was my first such event. I have run many trail races by different groups and enjoy the 50k distance the most and have never had a DNF (did not finish). This was my first such event.  I formed an Ultra team and we did not complete the 120 miles, I have no issues with that. Yes, its disappointing after all the months of planning however this is not Ragnar’s problem, and we are ok with the DNF.  I merely want to outline some observations which could help someone determine if this is the trail race for them and perhaps assist Ragnar address some issues.

.

The organization for this particular venue was a little lacking, perhaps because they had never held the event at this location before.  I will give them that.  The pre-race video indicated that “gate” would open at 4 pm. That if you arrived early you could wait in line and enter at 4 pm.  We had no problem with waiting, wanting to be able to pick a campsite while there was still an hour or so of daylight and do so carefully once the “gate” did open.  We drove almost 8 hours to be at this location and were the first to arrive only to find there was no “gate”.  

We stopped at the stop sign and upon talking with tribal police, were told to turn around and drive back down the 2 lane mountain road to a golf course and stay there because the road couldn’t be blocked.  When we mentioned the info on the video, the officer was totally unaware of those instructions.  A representative from Ragnar at the gate would probably have helped. We elected to park on a small cut out about a ¼ mile from the entry.  There was just enough room for three cars if parked carefully.

Cars slowly started arriving all in the hopes of also being in line early, only to be turned around.  Only some were not turned around and they were not staff, we talked to them as they passed by our parked vehicle.   We were the first to arrive at the “gate” and ended up pushed back to about 120^th due to this mismanagement.  This two lane road is not highly used and a simple solution for this situation would have been to have controlled traffic using the law enforcement that exists on the property and their radios.  I live on a very busy two lane mountain road that has a ½ marathon run on it. They have successfully managed to stop and control a thousand or more cars for their event and still allow traffic to get to their destinations without difficulty. 

The camping area for the event was very large and nicely shaded and easily could accommodate the number of vehicles and persons staying for the event.  My only suggestion is that for this venue Ragnar designate a late arrival camping area for persons arriving the subsequent day.  This venue has plenty of room and campers don’t need to be literally on top of each other. Those persons could be directed to put their camps in that area and not on top of existing campsites, eliminating the safe walkways with their tents, decorations, chairs, and tables.  Those walkways were created by campers arriving early. There was significant safety hazards and several persons were observed to have fallen over these same objects in the middle of the night.   Those of us who arrived early did so for a reason.

Check in at headquarters was smooth and the campfire and social area was one of the highlights of the event. The iron cross competition provided a necessary comic relief as one our team mates won a new pair of Salomon shoes. They had a great location for the bonfire and hammocks close to the transition area,  making  for a comfortable wait for your runner to come in an pass the race bib.  They also had three electronic boards that were connected to timing pads about ¼ mile from the transition areas so that you could know when your runner was approaching.  This was a little like watching the stock market change second by second and added to the excitement for the subsequent team mate.  Fantastic idea! This also made the transition area less chaotic and I have to say that it ran far smoother than I ever thought possible. 

Trails were very well marked. If a person got lost or off loop on this event it would have to be the result of their own inattention.  I have done many trail races where there may be no markers for miles and one is left wondering if they took a wrong turn. Not so for Ragnar.  Runners were well informed of the direction and hazards along the way. 

One of the biggest problem we saw were that the port-a-potties were often totally out of TP and full, needing to be serviced more than they were..

 Bring all the water your group needs for drinking/cleaning etc. We thankfully brought five water cooler size bottles with us from home along with several one gallon bottles and had more than enough.  I don’t know what others did. A large water truck centrally located would have been nice for those persons who were unaware of what the water situation really was.  I saw many persons walking around with one and two gallon containers trying to find a source. I don’t know if they ever did..

 

For those who have never been to a Ragnar event I will issue this warning.  This is a party with running sprinkled in.  There were a lot of highly intoxicated persons roaming about then taking off on trails.  This is not what I would consider a real competitive event.  It has its place, but know what you’re getting into.  One of my team mates likened it to a cult event.  The description fits.  Its fine for those who want to party, socialize and experience something like this together.  There were many people there who were good natured and supportive and having fun but there was also a large contingent party animals also. Part of me felt like the land cherished by the Native Americans who live there was raided and tainted.  I may have this all wrong but I have lingering feelings of sadness.

The trails were incredibly hard.  Beware, if you have never run a trail race before this may not be the first one you want to do.  There are long stretches uphill in sun exposure which most persons except for elites could only walk. The downhills had their own challenges.  It is here where we lost one of our team mates to injury very early on. Another team mate who was well trained and used to distance running had health issues on the Red Loop.  The heat coupled with long hike uphill and her only having one kidney made her seriously ill.  I couldn’t envision her doing it again later on.  That left two of us, one with a heart of gold who probably would have run the whole 120 miles himself if so directed and myself still recovering from a recently healed broken foot.  We elected to scratch our race. We had no idea there were other options available. In fact the trail guide and the webinar both state that teams have to stick with the pattern they started with.

It is here that I have a couple of suggestions for Ragnar Trail and for anyone who does this event.  It would be really nice for us newbies if somewhere in your trail guide you list the following information and reiterate it also one your webinar. We only found out about it far too late to make changes.

1.  If team mate drops out, the others can still run their distances and medal.

2. You can create your own pattern of loops, give several examples.  We would have loved to have known that each of our four man team could have done the red loop first, then each of us do the green loop followed by the yellow loop. We assumed, erroneously that the descriptions given in the guide and the webinar were the only options.   

According to staff with whom we spoke far too late, there was some flexibility we were unaware of. You may say, “you could have asked about this during the Q&A of the webinar” however this was also too late in our planning for the event.  A couple of our runners had already been training the pattern we thought we were locked into. 

So, it is with this I close, would I do it again? No, It’s not for me.  I do see its place and respect that.  Perhaps some persons will fall in love with trail running from the experience. Just know what you’re getting into and what others don’t say about events like this.  It will help your overall experience.  For me, I will return to running lone.

Further Thoughts Regarding Asics Trail Shoes

Very quick thoughts on the two Asics trail shoes I own.

As preparations for an ultra-Ragnar race are underway (https://www.runragnar.com/event-detail/trail/los_coyotes_) with three friends for this holiday weekend, I am reminded again of the need to compare trail running shoes. 

Since my last post on the two different models of Asics trail shoes, I have had the pleasure of wearing each for over 300 miles and under different conditions.

ASICS Gel Venture Five

The Gel Venture 5 is likely to come out my favorite. These shoes shed mud almost immediately, are superbly comfortable and have decent grip in rocky terrain.

Asics Fuji Trabuco 4

My only gripe about the Fuji Trabuco 4 was that mud balled up on the heal much like when snow sticks to the bottom of telemark skis when they haven’t been properly waxed and spring conditions prevail, but I digress.  I’m sure there will be plenty to say about ski gear and conditions this winter. Perhaps as a result of their tread pattern.

Fuji Trabuco 4on the left and Gel Venture Five on the right

This weekend is 120 miles of shared “fun” commiseration and endurance at Los Coyotes Native American Reservation. Four of us will divide the task and spend 24 hours with probably no more than 3 hours sleep. We will run varied terrain and my intention is to wear both these shoes at least once. Yes, I plan on taking my mainstays also, Salomon Sense Pro and Salomon Speed Cross 3.  Yes, a gal can’t take enough shoes. What can I say?  At least I didn’t pack all of them (see post dated 8/9/16 ASICS Trail Shoe Review.

Can’t wait for the event and the chance to review a race at a new venue. 

Sports Bras-A Comparrison

Just like running shoes, they come in different styles and there are numerous manufacturers who make them. Some of whom understand the needs of the active woman and others who just want to duplicate the hard work and designs of others but provide cheap imitations.

Like running shoes, I probably own 30+ different sports bras. I have begun weeding them out and over the course of the last year have come to the conclusion that a bra that one has to yank and pull over one’s head to put on and then struggle to get off when sweaty is not something I want to deal with any longer and have begun the process of getting rid of them.

I have purchased several zip front models from Victoria Secret. The ones purchased each had an inner bra with clasp closure and an outer shell that zipped, making this type very easy to put on and remove even after lengthy workouts.

https://www.victoriassecret.com/victorias-secret-sport/shop-all/knockout-by-victoria-sport-front-close-sport-bra-victoria-sport?ProductID=306286&CatalogueType=OLS

I have six different ones and each is true to the size stated, comfortable and has held up very well to my rough treatment.  The zipper is strong and has a flap covering it at top and bottom which keeps the body from becoming chafed. The purchase price is a bit on the high end, however well worth every penny.

I have tried to find less expensive alternative models and have come upon something sold by New Chic

http://www.newchic.com/sports-bra-4418/p-1075211.html

 The unit is made by BVTT and sold for $14.43. This bra is made much like the Victoria Secret units, however the materials were not as high quality. The inner bra has a hook and eye type clip much like those sold by Victoria’s Secret and the outer shell, a zipper with anti-chafing flaps on top and bottom of the zipper. The fit was accurate and comfortable. I did like the lack of shoulder strap adjustments. It is nice for when wearing a running pack and would prevent rub from the pack on the shoulders since there are no metal or plastic adjustment guys.

I would have loved this sports bra. The price would make purchasing several for daily use a realistic idea had it not been for one major flaw. Upon my first zip up, the zipper split open. The teeth appear to be very small and will not grab the other half. I have tried numerous times both on and off the body and the zipper will not close.  The bra is useless except for my ability to take the photo and share this on my blog.

New Chic appears to be a Chinese company selling products at discounted rates. 

I have learned my lesson. Stick with what works, tried and true quality. I stand by Victoria Secret for their quality and will happily wear their product for my adventures be it a daily run or a 24-hour race. For the price of a little over double the cheap imitation, it’s well worth the investment to have the comfort, quality and reliability the Victoria’s Secret product provides.

Keen Logan Boot Review

Due to the broken foot suffered a few weeks ago, I had to purchase a new pair of hiking boots that were stiffer than I normally would have worn for a backpacking trip.  Usually trail running shoes are sufficient for my treks.

A pair of water proof Keen Logan ankle high boots were purchased for this trip.  They weigh 1 pound 6 ounces a pair and are made of vegan materials.  The journey they would go on was about 60 miles of mixed terrain.  Several miles would be very rocky, much like a very long gravel driveway with large stones.  For this section these boots really did help keep the bottom of my foot from obvious pain. 

For the first 40 miles of this trip, I was raving about these boots.  They were purchased a half size larger than my usual shoe size and I wore double socks. The fit was perfect and my arch felt supported.  My base pair were a pair of Injinji toe socks.  Normally I don’t get blisters, however, the padding of double socks is nice it’s always good to take preventative measures. 

The boots felt great.  They have a lot of toe box room and were rather flexible around the ankle without giving up support. Their weight was not noticed.   The protection in the toe area when coming up against rocks was a major plus.  I did add my own Dr. Scholl’s inserts to the cushioning  due to the having just been given the ok from the Dr. to walk with regular shoes. 

It was the last 20 miles the issues began.  The boots were great until the heat was on,  literally. Going over a pass for 5 hours in full sun in elevated temperatures caused my feet to sweat and the shoe didn’t breathe enough.  Blisters had formed on the tops of my feet and almost all my toes.  The sides of my heels also formed them.  My socks were wet from sweat. 

I have never experienced blisters like this in the many thousands of miles I have completed trekking through the mountains. Having worn everything from those ten pound leather clunkers that were popular in the 70’s to 7oz Merrell Pace Glove shoes for backpacking, I can only attribute it to the heat in combination with the waterproof materials.

10 pound clunkers, yes, I still have them

Merrell Pace Glove

Positives:  Toe box room, light weight, supportive upper, very comfortable, vegan materials, and a reasonable price of about $110.00 (on sale currently). The sole offered great support for a foot that was still mending and the materials held up very well despite very rocky and rough terrain.

Negatives:  Breathability in heat.

Elizabeth Pass

Elizabeth Pass or Bust

Another great backpacking trip with Jamie has come to a close.  This trip took us from Lodgepole in Sequoia National Park around Twin lakes, Ranger Lake, Seville Lake,Roaring River, up Deadman Canyon and down Elizabeth Pass.  That’s where despite the “heavenly” environment the hell can be. 

     
Let me start by stating that the journey began for Jamie from Kansas to California and  she had one problem after another with flights.  The great worry was whether her backpack would even make it to Fresno with her switched upgraded seats, delays and canceled flights were only the beginning of drama.  She finally arrived about 16-17 hours later with her bag, thank god.

I had booked shuttle transit from the airport to Kings Canyon via the Big Trees Transit where according to the website, “Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks — two of the world’s most breathtaking outdoor destinations — right in our own backyard. So why don’t you visit more often? Big Trees Transit is now here to make your next adventure much more convenient. For just $15 round-trip, we’ll take you directly to Grant Grove Village inside Kings Canyon National Park. The fare includes your entry fee to the parks and unlimited internal shuttle service to a number of awe-inspiring destinations.”

I highlighted the phrase “two of the world’s most breathtaking outdoor destinations" and Parks in red for a reason.  Pay attention here.  Parks is not Park’s its parks as in plural as was the use of the word two.  Last time I checked two means more than one and parks is plural, meaning more than one.

The oddity of this journey begins here.

If one goes to the FAQ section of their site it also answers the question about internal shuttle within the park and that it’s available free.  Just to be sure, I contacted the office and spoke with the supervisor who also indicated that we could get from Kings Canyon to Sequoia. 

THIS IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.  Do not take the Big Trees transit if you have any intentions of trying to get to Sequoia. Despite that the parks (plural) share a border and share an intersection on the highway, they do not share or allow for any kind of transfer to the other side.  Sequoia must be accessed by riding the Sequoia Shuttle.  This shuttle runs out of Visalia and Three Rivers only.  It’s very disappointing that despite both of these shuttles entering the same gate to the parks (plural) they do not stop there and allow for transfer to the other system.  We painfully found out this is symbolic of the rest of our government, divided.

We arrived at Grant Grove visitor center around 9:30-10 and found out there was no connection to the other park. Complete with backpacks and heat we started walking/hitchhiking towards our destination.  Concrete backpacking was not what we had in mind.  We marched on for about 6 miles before a very nice German couple gave us a lift.  I am forever grateful to them. They were true trail angels.

      Due to the lateness of our arrival to pick up our permit at Lodgepole in Sequoia we chose to spend the night in the campground and head out early in the morning.  One day of backcountry hiking lost.

We passed on camping at Twin Lakes due to the crowds.  I had heard from a father/son pair making their way out as we were going up that they had a loud group of five who camped right in their campsite with them and kept them up all evening.  I guess the group didn’t know they had left Lodgepole campground. It was either that or they were scared and wanted the closeness of others.  We opted for one of the lakes further on the trail,Ranger Lake,  and found peace and quiet.

My Steripen finally met its 7600 uses lifespan and died the first night. Usually I carry a few backup tablets for water sterilization, however, this one trip decided not to take them since the bottle has never been needed. I love the Steripen, it has never failed me until now.  Thank god Jamie had Aquamir and plenty of it. 

On the second night of our trip, at Seville Lake,  the zipper on my Big Agnes tent decided it had enough life span also and there was no way to keep mosquitos and bees other than keeping the fly zipped up.  I think all my gear is trying to tell me it’s time for retirement, like me.  Most of it is 5-7 yrs. old and has been a thousand miles or more.  I start dreaming of what I will replace them with.  Can my gear get lighter?  

The trail from our chosen lake to the Roaring River Ranger Station was easy and we made great time despite the mileage.  We followed bear and large cat prints most of the way and passed great campsites some with bear boxes. The views in this area are not photogenic but it’s a very nice wooded trail with subtle variations in elevation.  It made for a very nice day.  

  
There are three bear boxes there according to the camp map at the ranger station and after the storm subsided we set about finding the other two.

One of the boxes is on a bluff on the opposite side of the foot bridge and sits far above the water and away from the ranger station past the Historic cabin. It appears to be used primarily for pack crews and was not ideal in any way for backpackers.  The other box was found in the opposite direction about the same distance from the ranger station on the same side of the river as we were camped and was occupied by what appeared to be trail crew.  If this isn’t occupied it would make a fantastic campsite for the evening.

If you do not need a bear box for food storage, there are some small areas for camping along the river however, due to the rocky nature of the area those spots are scattered and far between.

I can safely say nothing broke down here and nothing was “lost”.  It was only shortly after this camp that things take yet another turn.

The next morning we hiked up Deadman Canyon to a ranger camp a few miles past the grave of Alfred Moniere, a sheepherder who died in 1887 from either illness or according to some accounts murder. 

The camp was nicely situated off the trail in some trees and near the river.  We watched a group of about 20 march on up the canyon just in time for another rainstorm.  This was the only camp we stayed at that didn’t have a Bear Box available, however, there was no difficulty in hanging food appropriately in the trees.

We exited our camp about 5:30 in the AM the next morning trying to beat the heat to the top of the pass. Due to the difference in our hiking speeds, I made it to the crest before Jamie and just in time to meet up with the group of 20 who had spent the evening among the rocks at the base of the pass.  The group was a high school class on an adventure before the school season began.  This group was and their guardians were some of the nicest people I have met on trail. I left them at the top while they were taking break.  It was pleasure encountering them and sharing a bit of the adventure that followed with them.

Elizabeth Pass is a very visible trail up to the top and shortly down the back side if going the direction we were headed.  The problem is that the trail disappeared in the bowl below before the major drop off /switchbacks.  The trail vanishes and the cairns that were in place must have been laid by someone trying to mark the way up for someone in their party to follow because they led me astray completely. 

After spending over 2 hours in the heat zigzagging back and forth in the bowl attempting to locate some sign of a real trail (not just one person’s tracks) I spotted the group of 20 again, completely on the other side of the bowl also trying to find the true trail.  We met near the middle and spent about an hour comparing maps/gps and scouring the edges of where we had each been to find the location of the path.  Feat accomplished.  Afterwords, one of the guardians advised he would go back up and fix the cairn issue and mark the path better. Truly an amazing person. 

Unfortunately due to heat and my waterproof boots, blisters were starting to form in the boots I had to purchase for this trip due to my broken foot.  I had been drafting a raving review in my head the whole trip until this.  The blisters made the next 7 miles horrible despite how beautiful it was. 

To top it off, I lost my glasses somewhere in the bowl and couldn’t read a map/gps without them. Frustrating as it was, it was something I could live without once i reached where the High Sierra Trail meets the Elizabeth Pass Trail. It was familiar from another adventure Jamie and I had.

After passing Bearpaw Meadow,  camp was made at Buck River.  Water is a bit of a distance below the small camp area that only holds about 3-4 small tents and a bear box.  

No sooner than I had put my food in the box and went for a swim to cool off did a mama bear and two very tiny babies come trotting behind me heading up the same river.  It was a second of “Oh #$@*&! In my head before I realized she wasn’t going for the same little swimming hole as I was sitting in. The babies were adorable different colors. They were just bouncing down the pat., I was just thrilled to see them and have an opportunity to watch them march up the river in search of fish. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me.

Jamie came into camp a couple of hours behind me and we commiserated over the condition of the miles we just completed.  She had my glasses.  Apparently one of the kids in the party of 20 had found them and gave them to her. Great kid. Unfortunately, she lost her map somewhere along her route.  Not that she needed it, but it was something we both enjoyed looking over and using it to dream of other routes.

Blisters are horrible when you have an 11 mile day ahead of you.  They were all over my feet and I don’t usually get them at all.  Putting on boots was not something I was looking forward to at all.  It was then I realized my prized possession, my GPS, was missing!  Gone.  I had seen it when I reached 1/4 mile before Buck creek, but it was no longer clipped to my pack and no longer in the side pocket it has always been in.  This has been my history book of sorts. I have been marking important waypoints along our route. There were many other trips logged in there as well as some anomalies I have come across on other journey’s. 

Real frustration set in.  I know I had been suffering from advanced heat stroke when I finally reached camp and that this played a huge part in why I couldn’t read the map and GPS correctly coming out of Elizabeth pass. It’s a valuable lesson.  Dizziness, cramping, nausea and confusion are not good and I know better.  Foolish me.  Now I was without my GPS because I probably didn’t clip it in as I have always done in the past. I gained my glasses and lost my GPS.

Larry, from the Running Warehouse (my favorite shoe store) just happened to camp next to us late that evening and I had hoped he might come up on my device after we left in the AM as he was headed in the opposite direction.  It had to be divine intervention what were the odds of his being right there and being so nice and friendly.  After some pleasant conversation. Jamie exchanged number and we decided to complete our journey a day early and camp once again in Lodgepole campground, a shower sounded really nice.

We made the push to Lodgepole , eating blue berries along the way, sorry mams bear, and arrived in the Crampground (it’s not misspelled), around 1:00, showered, washed clothes and ate pizza and had a fine time watching all the human entertainment. Exiting the campground we came upon a whole pile of discarded new gear left by a dumpster. The find of the century! It made it home with us.  We actually came home with more than we left with.

 It wasn’t until we made it back to my house and we unpacked everything to be cleaned that I discovered my glasses that I once again lost (the night before)and my GPS! Both were in the lining of a gear bag I had. The GPS was still on and glowing and had been in my tent the night before without my noticing it.  Unbelievable! I wasn't sure if I should feel lucky or stupid. Thats how this whole trip went, lost and found, heaven and hell...... I wonder where Jamie’s Map went to?

Jamie exiting Buck Creek 

Sunlinq solar charger

The backpacking trip is 4 days away. It will be the most I’ve walked since breaking my foot in June.  The going will be slower than my usual 4-5 miles an hour but perhaps there is a more divine reason I have found myself in this predicament.  There were 5 one week trips scheduled for this summer, all solo, and had to give up all journeys but this one.  Ironically,  this one is on the least traveled trail per SEKI (Sequoia Kings Canyon) personnel and that this is the one my friend, Jamie planned to  trek with me.   My hope was to write a specialized book this summer however will have to now wait to complete it until next year. 

As usual, my backpack has been repacked several times and each time more is eliminated..  Food is now on the radar.  Is it all really necessary?  Experience has shown me that less is consumed than expected.  The first 24-48 hours is normal however after that consumption seems to decline.  To quote my mother, “my eyes are bigger than my stomach”.  I have reduced my pack to a weight of 28 pounds including food one week of food.  My luxury items are my iPod, loaded with audiobooks, folding solar panel and my digital dictation machine.  The dictation device is necessary to my completing a novel that has been spinning around my head for two years and is now half drafted.

To charge up my headlamp and IPod, the Sunlinq 6.5 watt folding solar charger has been my close companion for the last five years and has performed excellent each year.  I can’t say enough about this unit. The unit I have been hauling around has probably charged items for over 1000 hours and  has taken abuse both in and out of the pack and is only beginning to show some signs of damage to some of the panels. It weighs 10.5oz and can be purchased for about $80.00.  For that you get a 12V vehicle power plug, 12V power outlet, 18" battery clamps, 4" barrel connector and an 8' extension cable.   Items can be powered items directly off the device or to a power pack, usually only taking a few hours to do so. For the weight this is a must have if you have items that need recharging.

Gotta love the power of the sun

ASICS Trail Shoe Review

As promised a trail running shoe review on to pair of two ASICS trail models. First this must be prefaced by explaining a few things. I’m in no way sponsored by any brand and run between 50 and 75 miles a week. About 70% of that is on trails.  Prior to my recent injury, would race about every 6-8 weeks in varied terrains and everything from 5-50k and working towards a 50 miler when sidelined.

I am the proud owner of probably 30 pair of trail running shoes.  Don’t tell my husband. I’ve been purchasing them in two or three different colors so he can’t tell the how many there actually are. Although, last week he was seen staring at the shoe rack.  He could be on to me. Hey, they each do something different.

There are some for moderate distance road, long distance road, road racing and speed work. Then there are the trail shoes. There are some for short, moderate and long distance and there are some for short non-technical, moderate non-technical, long non-technical and then we come to the technical models, you get the idea here. It can be compared to the 100 fishing rods and 15 pairs of skis my husband has.  I run in Hoka, Altra, and Salomon primarily, however, have run in New Balance, Saucony and ASICS in the past.

I have been in search of a light terrain trail shoe for everyday use  on the 4 mile mountain trail behind my house that has no technical qualities about it at all. The purchase of a pair of ASICS Fuji Trabuco 4 neutral shoe was a whim. Due to many years of figure skating, rock climbing, and trail running, there is severe arthritis in both my first metatarsophalangeal joints.  Often times, shoes are difficult to fit because the overlays and eyelets on most models usually land right on that joint, causing pain when the foot flexes as it moves forward. I have been in search of an everyday shoe whose design alleviates the pressure to the big toe area. 

ASICS Fuji Trabuco 4

The Fuji Trabuco 4 comes very close.  This particular model is lightweight, has gel cushioning and the lacing does not seem to bother my toes nearly as much as some shoes.The toe box is wider and it breathes very well and has a reasonable grip for moderate technical terrain. This particular shoe I have trained in and run a race of moderate technicality. The grip was good for rocks, branches and uneven loose terrain. I purchased a half size larger than my regular shoe and the fit is perfect.The stack height is 28 inches and for approximately $90, it is a good all around every day shoe. This particular model has a garage for laces. Now i just need a garage for all my shoes.

ASICS Gel Venture Five

The next shoe purchased was just a few weeks after the previous model, it is the ASICS Gel Venture Five.  The purchase was only because due to needing something with more stability side to side, having just come out of my walking cast from breaking my fifth metatarsal.  The podiatrist advised to wear stable athletic shoes and avoid shoes that could potentially cause my ankle to roll and I found an excuse for another purchase.

The Gel Venture runs for approximately $60 and are quite different than the Fuji Trabuco 4 in that they have considerably more side to side stability.  As you can see by the photo, there is additional overlay striping. The overlays are less flexible than the Fuji Trabuco 4 and add to the support. Additionally, they are a little bit narrower in the toe box, providing for more more stability.

Having been prevented from running for the last few weeks, I do not know what the quality of traction actually is.  The out sole feels as though it has very good grip for moderate technical trails. They are very comfortable and have a less flexible mid and out sole than the other model, making them ideal for a person recovering from an injury, such as mine or someone desiring a more stable ride. Currently I have been wearing these shoes seven hours every day around the house, yard, and running errands. They cause no pain to the first metatarsophalangeal joints and the foot feels feel well protected. Once they have been tested an, update will be posted.

There is a new pair of Altra Lonepeak 2.5 In a box that haven’t been able to be unboxed yet. 

Looking towards the day I can run again.

Preparing for a Journey

Having a broken foot means you have a lot of time to sit. And I’ve had just that. I’ve gone through a lot of old photos and began writing a novel and am half way along with a rough draft.  I’ve cleaned my house, several times, much to the amazement of those around me and sorted through a lot of belongings and gotten rid of them, including an old truck.

Now,  going through a lot of old photographs from backpacking trips over the last few years, some of which have included a dear friend of mine, I find time to reflect on Jamie. We intersected when I was doing the John Muir trail a few years ago and she was doing the Pacific Crest Trail. We leap frogged for a few days and met up at Vermillion Valley Resort, and subsequently hiked a few more days together until parting ways. We quickly became friends and hiking partners. We have done Tahoe to Yosemite together and a couple years ago we did the High Sierra Trail together.

 Even though we hike at totally different speeds, we always met up at the end and enjoy camp together,We compare photographs and trail notes, sharing stories of the people we met, things we saw, and some of the things we didn’t see along with a hearty meal.

We are preparing for yet another adventure. Kings Canyon National Park to launch in a few weeks, my foot still in recovery, definately will be moving a lot slower than usual which is okay. Jamie thinks I’ll still beat her to camp, Its doubtful and it’s okay.  This is not a race. Jamie is flying in from out of state to do this and we are sure to have a grand time together. Going through my gear contemplating what to take and what not to take, I want this to be one of the lightest trips I’ve done. It needs to be. I will be slow moving with the injured foot and looking forward to every minute of it. Cant wait to share another journey with her.

 I purchased a new pair of light weight ankle high boots for this trip because my doctor wants my ankle protected from rolling over and causing further injury to my fifth metatarsal. the selection was the Keen Logan mid-WP boot at REI yesterday and had to order it in my size. It was on sale for $127. A complete review of this boot will be posted when I return. Usually I backpack in Salomon trail runners, however, that’s not going to be sufficient for this trip. There will also be a review of two separate pair of Asics trail running shoes that I have been wearing nonstop since came out of my walking cast. I have become quite fond of each model for different reasons and look forward to being able to actually run in them.

Counting down to another epic Journey, the days can’t pass fast enough.

In The Beginning

To understand my motivation for starting this blog you one would have to understand what it’s like to be sidelined with an injury.  My running 50-75 miles a week cut short to riding a stationary bike.  Approximately 50 races on my bucket list completed and a Ragnar Tahoe Ultra Race postponed and transferred to another venue.  I am now motivated to write as I spend a great deal of my time now sitting, healing.

How did this come to be?  A race.  But first a bit of history, I am not as young as I used to be none of us are) and took up ultra-running 5 years ago.  I had never run before, hated running with a passion in school and was known for commenting on how crazy anyone was for wanting to do anything more than a 5k.  I would never be one of those persons.  Not me.  

Then came “the bucket list”.

I have always been a backpacker, having explored Colorado, Arizona and California since I was nine years old thanks to my parents.  The John Muir Trail became a dream when I was faced with a very sudden undiagnosed neurological problem and the great possibility of being in a wheelchair in the near future.  Anyway, in an effort to stabilize my walking from a weeble to a wobble to someone who was able to handle paths with cliffs on one edge, I took up running. 

I went from my first race, walking a half marathon (more on that later) to running a 50k in just over one year. I just completed that same 50k, in June, placing 2^nd in my age group, the weekend before and for fun only, ran the Walt Stack Double Dipsea.  It was here that I met my fate.

Stinson Beach and Muir Woods were a wonderful backdrop for a race.  The trail incredibly beautiful and challenging. The Race was put on by outstanding people, couldn’t ask for more.  I felt great.  Just over a half marathon, this was no biggy.  It was on the way back from Mill Valley that I met with disaster. Mile 8.5.  The trail is one where you have to work your brain, concentrate on the obstacles and know where to land.  I did so all throughout without problem. Until it got easy.  It was when the trail smoothed out and had no obstacles, no stairs that I became complacent and dropped my focus.  I twisted my foot and immediately felt a pop.  The pain came as I passed an aide station and made the decision to power walk the pain away.  Unfortunately, it didn’t leave me.

The swelling was almost immediately after I passed my DNF option.  I have never had a non-finish and wasn’t about to experience that on this run. Getting into this was another bucket list item. So I pressed on and slowly began running again.  The pain increased and I was faced with my brain wanting to focus on it which was making things worse.  That went on for about a mile.

I knew something was not good with my foot, I thought it was possibly a bad ankle sprain. It felt like it was my ankle, the same one I broke in three places the first day of ski season several years ago while getting equipment down from our attic.  I kept focusing on the pain and the obvious swelling that was occurring in my Salomon shoes.

As I pressed on, I came upon a couple of runners ahead of me and came to the realization that if I focused on them, if I could pass them, I would have something else to focus on. I could leave the pain behind me on the trail.  So, I did.  I did this with each runner I subsequently came upon. It became a game of sorts.  “I can beat this one”.  I studied their gate, their body position and their overall running attitude and picked them off one by one. 

I made it out the last 5 miles plus this way and completed the Race feeling little pain.

I placed third in my age group and went home with a broken fifth metatarsal. 

And here I sit. 

What I learned from this was; 1) get yourself out by yourself when possible, 2) you can set the pain aside by focusing outside yourself and 3) the race will go down as my favorite because of what I learned.

I love running.