Urban Trail Running

One pair of shoes stretched over three days and 20 miles isn’t the best-case-scenario, but I prefer to pack light. 2 pairs of running shorts, three running shirts, three pairs of Injinjis, one Timex Iron Man wristwatch and my RoadID. Also my Brooks HVAC gloves and a North Face touque just incase it’s not as warm as I’m anticipating.

Oh – and there’s the suits and ties for work. Plus a Nikon D200 and an array of high end lenses, flashes, whatnots and whathaveyous. Plus a MacBook and a copy of Jim Harrison’s Sundog. In case you were wondering.

I used to want to live in NYC. Now I want to live as far away from it as possible – in the spiritual and metaphysical sense. But a quick work trip there will be a welcome change of scenery – even if I am stuck behind a camera during the day and a laptop all night. Seeing some old friends will be great, even if just for a meal. I’m also hoping to get in a few good laps around Central Park.

Running through the streets of a place like New York isn’t completely dissimilar from trail running. I guess you could say it’s “technical” in its own right: replace the roots, rocks, puddles and mud with people, traffic, street vendors, cars, cesspools and smog and there you have it. It requires an equal amount of attentiveness and as much stop-and-go. Minus the hills, of course.

At 1:21 am I have a solid 2 more hours of work to do before I can call it a day. I’m trying my damnedest to prevent work from preventing my training, but tonight I lapsed and skipped out on some cross/weights. First hole in the schedule and not a good feeling.

What could I do but devour half a Buddy’s pizza to drown my sorrows?

Ultra Week #4 // Trail Running Anniversary

A relatively light week three comes to a close. This was a ‘down’ week to prep for next weekend’s 17 miler. I bumped up the weights and resistance training on account of the low mileage, and can feel things tightening up ever-so-slowly. The ‘chesticles’ I earned from a gluttonous holiday of overeating and under-running are now receding, and my legs feel alive again. Cross training has helped, and our Farmington Hills YMCA is a convenient 5 mile round trip run away. Throwing some weight training in the middle of a slow day helps me feel more productive.

Today’s run, the ‘long one’ of the week, was a 12.5 miler at a pretty slow pace, 10 minute miles more or less, all on very boring roads with traffic and polluted puddles. I’m trying to keep my 10+ mile runs at the pace I’d like to run the 50. Anything below and I’ll keep pushing for the 8 minute miles.

I’m finding that was probably my biggest mistake of last season, and likely why I never shed the weight I was aiming to. I ran often and I ran far, but I never really pushed myself the way I should have – averaging 12 minute miles on my 20 mile runs and 10 on my regular 10 milers. In retrospect, I was probably just getting used to becoming a ‘runner’ and still apprehensive about putting my body through all this. Plus, I just really liked the zen-like, mellowing out effect of a long, leisurely jog.

That all changes now.

After some thought and deliberation, I’ve decided to cave in and pick up a GPS watch. I heard this would be coming out soon, so I went online, did some research, and I liked what I saw; it’s not like wearing an iPhone on your wrist, like their earlier models. I’ll be pre-ordering mine on the next non-mortgage-payment paycheck.

Am anxiously awaiting next Sunday, which will mark the 1 year anniversary of my first trail run. A year ago this week, I was carbo-loading and tapering for (what was back then) a grueling 8 mile run through Bald Mountain. I still look back with fondness on that first run. I had no ‘running gear’ to speak of – just my New Balance 872s. On top was a pair of thermal underwear, crappy shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. The trail was semi-frozen and muddy and had that soggy-leaf smell I’ve come to associate with springtime in Michigan. In my excitement I ran hard and carelessly, plowing through puddles on purpose and dirtying myself up just for the fun of it.

I do the same still, however I’m better equipped (actual trail shoes, body glide, Injinis, etc.).

In celebration of the 1 year mark, I’m heading back up to Lake Orion for a lovely 17 mile/double-loop around the park. This will be my longest trail run in as long as I can remember. In theory, I should be heading out to the Poto in preparation for the Running Fit Trail Marathon, but the more I think about that the more I think I should just run its half and not push myself too far off my training schedule. 26.2 isn’t on the menu for a few more weeks yet, and recovering from it will throw me off course.

That’ll make the year’s first Marathon the Grand Island, which I’m looking forward to almost as much as the 50.

Ultra Week #3 // Last Snow Run

Week two was capped off with a pair of long, leisurely trails – 8 miles on Saturday and 12 on Sunday. I fell a bit short on weekly mileage (high 30’s, I think), but got some time outside and on my feet. This was a welcome break from what was panning out to be a week of treadmills. Body is feeling fine – soreness isn’t half as bad as last week. Callouses are forming where blisters were. Weight is still the same but I dropped 1% body fat, which is encouraging.

Enough details. I took a camera along to the park, so let’s remember and enjoy what will hopefully be the last scenes of winter. Sure it was a good one, but I think I’m ready for spring.

The sound of snow melting was sweet and bitter. It’ll be great to run normal trails again, but part of me loves all this.


I got to chill by the river and get my “Chris McCandless” on.


Things like that make me happy.

The Solomons worked perfect. Waterproof, warm, and decent traction. I’d recommend them to a friend.

Odd tree formation. Lightning striking twice? Or just one huge bolt?

Orchard and Valley Trail intersection. Usually the start or end of the run.

The Scout Trail. I got about 20 feet from a family of 6 deer. They stood still, then just casually walked away. There are usually a few here and I’ve seen them this close more than once. No hunting allowed, so they probably know it’s safe. I often find their tracks and follow them for as long as they’re visible.

That’s about it for now. Goodbye winter. Maybe. . .