New Years Day Run 2011

Not as muddy as I have run it before but a bit slip-sliding-away if you were not paying attention.
We took the Foothill Trail to Gridley where I dropped down for the water fill up while the others took off up the hill.  After 17 minutes of down and back up to where I left the pack I began the chase..

The Chase Begins

More of a mental game for me and was moving slow due to a lingering calf injury.  Caught the pack just above the zig-zags mid climb and hung with the pack until I decided to test some metal..mine and theirs….. and mess with my fellow Coyotes..

On to the Nordhoff Peak Fire Tower for some killer views.  Found a short cut up the road to the tower and still waiting for the RD to rule if this is either worth bonus or boner minutes during C2M.

The hypoxia got the best of my fellow runners here: Hypoxia or just messing with your head?

Down to the Pratt Trail for another nirvana trail experience.   This trail is second to Ray Miller Trail for the sheer please of enhancing gravity for the trip down snaking trail.  Ran into Heidi, US Forest Service Trail Supervisor, with a crew working the trails.  Nice work by the crew that will keep this trail descent sweeter than Southern Georgia Tea.
We met Nancy and her friends from Santa Barbara on the way down and finally arrived at the Cozy Dell Mud Fest before the last descent through the rocks to start the tailgate party..  We counted out miles and debated for a while…

How far did you run Sue?

The last runners dribbled in all smiles.

This is what you look like after running Pratt Trail for the first time

Overall a great way to start out the New Year.  Happy Trails.

Dave came flying down the Ray Miller trail to finish the 50 K day at C4P. This picture captured his persona but failed to capture the round off and cartwheel he did just seconds after the picture was taken. (photo: Glenn T)

Dave was a great guy with tons of energy, always had an interesting perspective on things and was an extremely talented ultrarunner. The times I had hanging out with Dave at C4P and Hardrock are memorable. I was awed at his downhill running talent on the most technical of trails in Point Mugu State Park.

At Hardrock we shared a cabin with other ultrarunners and had a chance to partake in his humor, acclimatization hikes in the high country and some great food he prepared for us. The next day I met up with him at mile 45 on the descent into Grouse Gulch. I was worried I was moving to fast because I never see Dave in races… he is just too fast. He was having a low point but his attitude was still one of positive thoughts. He hung out at the next aid station for a few hours and then started up again… Dave finished the race with some back-of-the-packers and told me about how good of an experience it was to meet some new friends he had never run with before. Dave was an icon for me in my early ultrarunning days… he still is.

May he rest in peace.

Dave Jamming down the Old Boney Trail at mach speed during C4P (photo akabill)

Dave at Coyote Four Play's 50 mile day heading down Gridley trail with friends in tow (photo: Chris Scott)

Here are some recent training:

7/25 – Bike Mulholland Loop – 42 miles
7/24 – REST – feeling a little left knee ITB pain… also not sleeping well the past 2 nights
7/23 – Run – Backbone trail, 10 miles west of Kanan Road
7/22 – Bike – Rock Store, Yerba Buean from Mulholland, Stunt Road, 40 miles

7/21 – Bike with Bill, PCH, Latigo Canyon, Mulholland, 70 miles
7/20 – REST,
7/19 – Bike with George, Mulholland Loop, 42 miles
7/18 – Run – Pt Mugu State Park, 10 miles

H

Heading down Hell Hill we heard the sonic booms of the space shuttle landing in Palmdale California instead of Florida due to bad weather.

Had a good tempo run up Mugu and down Ray Miller.  This was a big mileage week for me and feel it was a good test of my fitness and lack of injuries as I ramped up.  Rest Day tomorrow.

We made good time and Maria is quite a fit runner.  We both had high mileage weeks (she has more miles than I) and we still pushed to the pace.

As always I ran into people in need of directions: two guys hiking the Backbone West to East were ready to walk on Yerba Buena instead of going up on Etz Malloy motorway; I set them straight.  Others throughout the day asked “where’s Boney Mountain” or “How much farther?”

I ran into Scott and Mike up in Tri Peaks doing some photography.  I directed them to the arch for some interesting shots.  It was ironic running into them there since two days earlier I showed Scott some new areas to explore in Google Earth .  Ran into John and talked about business opportunities.  Lots of chatting delayed my finish but i am OK with that.

Got back to the house 6 hours from the start and 24 miles. I cooled down by soaking in cold water below my waterfall.  Ahhh, that felt good. Powered down a recovery drink, Avocado, tomato, orange juice.  Now to pick up the car.  Hopped on my road bike and made my way back to Kanan Road via Decker Canyon and Mulholland Highway.  Decker was tough in the really steep section and I could feel the strain in my knees.  Got to car and found a front mountain bike wheel just laying against the fence with no owner.  I talked to one guy there but he did not claim it.  I took it and will look for the owner by posting it in a few lost and found biking web sites.

Saw a hawk being badgered by a crow.  A closer look revealed a snake in the hawks talons that the crow as set on stealing.  After watching them for 5 minutes the hawk was still airborne with his snake and the crow just gave up.

Weekly Mileage Running: 82 miles

Weekly Mileage Biking: 65