Beach Week... sand in the toes and salt... everywhere

Slumming it... Kure Beach, NC

Last week was summer vacation for me and my family. Lynnea and I packed up little Sylas into the family vehicle and drove east to the Atlantic Ocean.... specifically Kure Beach, NC. We had accommodations at a friend's home and we weren't too sure of what to expect but when we were given instructions on the elevator and pool we figured it couldn't be too bad. We were not disappointed.

We arrived after 6 hours of travel to a home with an ocean view, a ginormously comfortable bed and a full refrigerated drawer of tasty beverages. Arriving a half a day before the rest of the family meant we got some bonus time to check things out and play around a bit... and pick our room... more specifically, pick our floor of the house. Ultimately we resided on the top floor with master bath (larger than our living room at home) with views of the rolling ocean swells. But enough of the Better Homes and Gardens tour...


Beach Running

Sylas having a laugh

While at the beach I laced up my Inov-8 Roclite 295s and headed out to see how versatile these trail shoes are. I've made the mistake of running barefoot on the beach... 20 mins okay- 22 minutes- blisters on every contact surface you didn't even know you had- what was powdery soft becomes harshly disabling in a flash of a threshold. Having learned that last summer, I was prepared this time around. The Roclite's allowed me to feel the sand as it held or crumbled under my stride. When bombarded by bellowing breaks- these trails shoes did their thing managing moisture, a few soggy steps and then back to the norm, making few extra salt crystal in toe. So, with a week's worth of sand running on the beach and at Carolina Beach State Park trails, I give another ringing endorsement to the Inov-8 Roclite 295's... my official Mountains-to-Sea shoe.

Running along the beach is an exercise in patience and in the deception of vision. Trying to guess how far something is can be disheartening. Piers in the distance can seem 5 minutes away... and maybe they would be on a paved surface or hard packed trail- but out there the wind and waves have a way of putting you on the moon; taking all relativity away. This was an escape and I just allowed myself to experience this giant sandy treadmill, focus on good form and take in the sights of the morning.

There's Single Track Here!
My second run of the week was out at Carolina Beach State Park. When I read their was single track on the island you know I was there first thing in the morning, so quickly that I forgot my watch... so I told time by- how my water remained in my bottle, gauging squiggly maps with diminishing volume to meet at my car.

Chatting up the locals

Setting out from the trail head at the marina I chose to run to the right and make a 6 mile loop with additional mileage on spur trails to see everything in the park. Right away I was running on seldom used trail, I imagine where only trail runners or birders venture along the coast. There was tall grasses and boggy areas with crabs everywhere, the ground was a literal scurry  of sideways scuttling. Bridges were... condemned, out here- I balanced along the remnants of planks and thought this couldn't possibly be the way- not anymore, but a little investigation proved that it was my route. A pause on the primitive white sandy beach and back on the run.

Hills... well, Hill
I found the "big climb" of the week soon after as I approached Sugarloaf... a 55 foot outlook atop a mound of  sand... this location was/ is used by water as a landmark for navigation. I explored the social trails in the area, met a few hand-sized spiders and their cable like webs before returning back to the trail and onward to the bog with its dark mud and stumps and...  a few Venus Fly Traps, a native species.

Having the opportunity to run through such diverse habitat made this morning run very rewarding. The bog was still sandy but more firm with moisture and I began spotting some larger wildlife. Squirrels and chipmunks scurried about and then a bounding deer crossed the path. She was here and gone in a flash as I awaited additional, though non-existent hoofed traffic.

Bringing it all Back Home

Surprise! Me & Sylas are drenched!

Running on the beach for the week brought back times passed when I lived on the Gulf Coast in Fort Walton Beach, FL. I remember the diverse running terrain there too, the flatness of daily mileage and the oppressive heat of the day dictating the running routine. For a week at least, I was a morning runner.

The last day of vacation I headed back to the beach to run southward... Meeting me were storm clouds and heavy mist with gusty winds.

I relished the fresh rain water on my face and lips as I ran to the end of the island and back home again. It is always great to get out of the routine and for me- even better to return to it.

An hour on rocky, muddy, wet trails. Climbing gnarly, steep hills, with stinging plants, biting bugs and slithering snakes. I'll knock my head on branches, trip on roots and bleed and sweat and love it. Soothing songs of the woods and plunging into the river pools brings me a smile. It's good to be home.

The family: Lynnea, Sylas and The Sean

Happy Running!

Grandfather Mountain to Calloway Peak

What a run! I quickly settled into a comfortably-urgent effort as I made my way along the Tanawha Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway side of Grandfather mountain in the evening. My goal was to reach Calloway Peak and return to my car prior to the setting of the sun- with severe weather in the forecast every afternoon this week, it was my day to enjoy a beautiful, perfect trail running day. Warm, not hot, cool but not cold- a nice breeze, a few clouds... basically the best reason to stay fit, is to be able to go do this run on this day!

The Tanawha- Daniel Boone Scout Trail

Make the Mountain your Friend.   Inov-8 Roclite 295

The route is rooty and technical. But thanks to my cool shoes, the Roclite 295 from Inov-8 I was able to handle the moist trail, big rocks, downed logs and rhodo-roots with no worry of slipping .

I just had to keep focused on not catching a toe which could lead to a nasty spill. On the way up I had no issues and kept myself under control, searching out the next step, with efficient and explosive movements.

This trail is a puzzle- it requires a calm selection of steps and thinking ahead to best flow of the route. With the massive amount of water that inundate the trail during storms, the best course is changed constantly with water erosion.

You literally have to be on your toes- if you don't want to end up on your nose.

24hr. Technical Assistance

Get Out Your Climbing Legs
I reached the base of the climb to Grandfather. To this point the trail had been a gradual roller, with a slight net uphill. The Park Ranger was out so I was required to register for trail use- in case I was eaten by an escaped Mountain Lion they would know which car was mine. We had a good little chat and I was on my way up Grandfather toward Calloway Peak. Settling into the effort gear.

The mileage on Grandfather is marked every 1/2 mile... but I know that linear distance means nothing up here, your work is measured by elevation change, time and effort. It is difficult to quantify this bolus, but once digested after the run you have a good idea what you ran (linear equivalence) for the day.

The Sean on The Ladder

Morphing Ecology
It is striking how the environment changes in a matter of a few switchbacks up here. At one moment you are running in big hardwoods, then smaller conifers and ferns, then lush grasses and as you reach the top you have down trees from severe wind damage, huge boulders to course over and around.

Reaching the Peak
As I reached the summit I was brought back to that desolate wind of mountain peaks where even on a calm day the bristles in the trees whistle the wind in a haunting fashion. This comforting entity of the mountain is a reminder that this is an organism in itself and only by running with it... can you hope for success.

Ambition and overreaching your ability to work with the terrain of the Mountain WILL be your downfall in this setting.

Atop Calloway Peak

After a couple ladder climbs and steep sections of crumbling trail I was soon in the tunnel of dwarf fir leading to Calloway Peak. Emerging onto the exposed mountain top I could see in all directions and allowed a few minutes to savor the journey, the moment and look forward to the cruise ahead of me on the return.

The wind cooled me and the view soothed me. I was in that calm state of mind you need to run a relaxed descent.   A clear mind = clear path.



Downhill Dividends
As I ran downhill I did so on auto pilot. A few times I found myself wandering and hearing a negative thought here or there... which usually preludes a toe catching a rock, stump or root.

Winner for Best Blood 

On one such case I was moving along pretty well (10k effort) when a trail-gnome grabbed me good. I went horizontal, suspended in air with the trail passing in slow motion beneath me. I knew this one was going to be a doozy and attempted to pull my knees to my chest in last ditch effort to save my skin, bones and blood with luck of a solid footfall...

But- this was not to be. My dreams were smashed into the Earth unceremoniously, pulverized. When I came to a skidding stop I was bent backwards, literally heels over head, up off the trail and face down in the bushes. There were some loud thuds and groaning sounds and I lay there and made sure nothing would fall off if I regained my vertical posture.

I was ok- a little shaken and the wind had left me for a moment. But just bruised, hematoma'd and bleeding. We have all been there. It keeps us alive!

Symbiotic Fatigue
I resumed my downhill pursuit, practicing choosing my line with darting steps on the switches and then opening up on the straights until I came to the bottom of the Mountain. Around this time I reach 1:40 in my run and began to feel the need for fuel... having brought nothing along I knew that I would just have to deal, and watch my step. With a mushy body coordination goes. I reminded myself constantly that being tired doesn't mean running tired. You can run strong- it is a style, in the face of anything.

I checked my form, backed off the effort and speed a tad and in no time was back at my car enjoying a     30-mile Milk Shake (for 19 miles of running... a smaller portion).

My favorite Old Tree 

Afterglow
As I sat in the parking lot, cleaning my bloody leg and scraped shoulder, bruised thigh I could feel nothing but pure elation in this setting. The general ache of a solid effort, of a great run, the calm of accomplishment soaked through me. A warm spring evening in a quiet place. The sky turning pale and my lips finding the relief of a cold amber ale.

Happy Running!

The Long Haul

Sunday morning I had a looooong run planned. Driving toward Watauga Lake in the spring drizzle I set my mind for a 4 hour trail run into a land of fern lined, rocky, rooted and muddy single track. I knew the trail well, but didn't know what might be waiting out there for me to experience. My only notion was that I would return to my car much different and much dirtier than I had been with those initial steps.

Here is a supply list for my trek:

• (2) 22 ounce Nathan hand held bottles with the following contents:
• The 30 Mile Milk Shake. Bottle one with the following mixture: water, vanilla protein powder, lemon lime Nuun tablet and Cherry Hammer Gel... give it a shake.
• The Pick Me Up. Bottle two with this mixture: 12 oz. water, 10 oz Larry's Beans coffee, Lemon Lime Nuun tablet, Cherry Hammer Gel... give it a shake.
• (7) Gu Packs- Espresso Love
• Brooks split shorts, Dupont 12k Tech-T, Smartwool socks and Inov-8 Roclite 295 for my feet
• (2) Band-Aid brand cloth band aids... for the sensitive areas.

Stringing the Steps
I got off to an EASY start. Just moving along as easy as I could and allowing my body to find the rhythm of the trail as it climbed and fell over the terrain. This initial portion wound around Watauga Lake dropping to its shoreline and easing back up away onto the ridges through camp sites. I followed the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail and was feeling less than strong at 15 minutes in. My energy was low, my head was spacing and the lethargy and leg weakness worried me a bit... 15 minutes is hardly a drop in the 4 hour bucket ahead of me. My instincts told me that I was just not running hard enough, once I got moving I thought the ease would come along, at least I hoped.

About 30 minutes out I reached the TVA Watauga Dam and popped a gel. The initial warm up was behind me and now I would have a strong 30 minutes of climbing ahead of me as the trail worked itself onto the ridge line above Watauga Lake. Their are not too many aggressive climbs but this is one of them as they paved service road kicks up to the first step of the climb. Up on this ridge top there were many down trees from the recent tornado activity in our area. I pretzelled my way through these, bopped my cabeza once, which was painful and then took in a downhill rest to the Big Laurel trail head and the biggest climb of the day.

Elevating Experience
Here the trail gets to its highest point in one 2 mile assault on the ridge line. This is a section that you have to run patiently and stay aerobic while running with strength. I cut down the stride, pumped my arms in tiny bursts and ate up the trail about 2 feet at a time. An hour or so in to the run I had reached the top and entered into the bright green growth of conifers with their new growth in the misty air. I felt like I was running through the pacific northwest in a few spots.

As the trail rolled along the ridge I took in another gel, my schedule was every 30 minutes whether I felt like it or not with water every 15 minutes. I really enjoyed the 30 mile milk shake early on, feeling that the protein kept my stomach settled against the sweetness of the energy packed Gu which I would wash down with a sip of the Pick Me Up and its magical caffeinated goodness. The Nuun tablets worked their miracles as well, keep my chemistry balanced with a taste of lemon lime while staying away from the mega sweetness of some electrolyte replacement products. And Nuun has a whole new line of flavors out this year so go check them out here. Or on my side bar -> over there...

Entering the Unknown
This section of the AT usually brings me to the shelter at 12 miles out and then elicits my return for a solid 3 hour run. But, if you were paying attention you know I had a 4 hour run scheduled. So, this meant an entirely new section of trail for me!! With 24 minutes to go to reach the 2 hour mark I headed down, down, down through slick muddy trails, very steep in sections and I wondered if I would end up sliding down my backside! But that was not the case as my new partners in crime kept me solid on my feet without the hint of a blister. I have to say that the grip and feel of the trail are amazing in my Inov-8 Roclite 295 trail racers.

Heading Home so Early?

15 miles out from my car my timer beeped signalling my turning point at 2 hours. I took a moment to look off the back side of the ridge toward Tennessee and Virginia and gulped down another Espresso Love before pointing my toes home. The wind kicked up, the air misted and I locked into a steady state and gobbled up trail. My thoughts drifted as my feet sought out the steps without though, everything was clicking, everything was automatic and an hour later I was back to the edge of the ridge and ready for the long downhill section. 

Feeling Time and Distance

Down to Big Laurel trail head I began encountering day hikers and dogs, and I began crashing a little bit too, an extra gel and a sip of 30 Mile Milk Shake would pick me up again so I decided to double of the Gu for a turn. This put me right back into a relative sense of strength. 3 hours and 15 minutes and 26 miles into the run I found myself feeling pretty fresh considering. Back down to the Watauga Dam I check my watch and compared splits to see that I was about 10 minutes faster on the return trip. Largely due the terrain but I was holding it together well too. 

Wrapping up a 30 mile Journey

With 4 miles back to the car and 4-5 decent climbs ahead of me I patiently moved forward and babied my left hamstring which was threatening a strike any time a high lift was required. Relentless forward motion brought me up one climb at a time and soon I was back at the lake, at the camping areas and then back at the car! Amazing how 4 hours and 30 miles can pass so quickly like clouds vapors vanishing from the sky all those miles are now just a memory!

Happy Running!