Chasing My Inner Kenyan or I'm a Rhino, Not a Cheetah

Trying to run fast on pavement just isn't something I do often anymore. Most of my long miles are on trails, but I admit my shorter weekday runs are on streets around town. My last 5k was year ago at 8,000 feet with a group of Hopi Indians in Flagstaff, AZ. (http://dirttrailrunner.blogspot.com/2005/07/desert-solitaire.html)--that is to say, it was more of adventure run than an inquiry into foot speed. My last 5k before that was in 2003. Training for the long trail runs has taken me away from the short stuff.

In recognition that three years is a fair chunk of time, I thought it time to go back and run the Dog Days 5k at Lake Bloomington again. Dog Days is an evening race, starting at 6:00 pm, thus avoiding the peak heat of the day. Got there at 5:30 to find that the RD hadn't ordered XL shirts, and these are really great coolmax shirts; he was astounded by my good humor at not bitching about the snafu and taking the 2 XL, of course with the obligatory, "I'm sure I can gain the weight comment."

Went out at a conservative pace (come to think of it, I finished at a conservative pace, too) chatting with and cheering on other runners. In the last mile I struck up a conversation with a nice young man, maybe 12 or 13, whom I promised to race the last half mile with at 5:00/mile pace; we pushed each other to the finish and into the chute. My time: an extremely pedestrian 25:30, 8:15/mi. pace. Not bad for being overweight and not training for speed, save for a few fartlek workouts, and not running for four days previous due to knee tendonitis. By the way, I ran a 22:47 at this race in 2002 and 21:58 in '03. But, I'm happy with the time, considering everything. I had a blast doing this race, proving that even slow 5k's can sometimes be fun. Variety is a spice.

The knee is a bit of a concern. Howl at the Moon 8 Hour is in a month and I need a few more long runs. Hopefully it will improve and allow them. Stay tuned.

Well, Dave encountered trouble with the heat and aborted his run across the state on Friday. It was an exceedingly tough goal to pull of in July, and I credit him for even starting it.

Soundtrack: Monobloco "Ao Vivo" Unbelievably good Brazilian music. Thanks, Snyd!!

To Write

I've been delving back into a great book, Brenda Ueland's If You Want to Write, written in 1938, it is a work about finding your muse, art, independence and spirit. Ueland uses one of my favorite iconoclasts, William Blake, as a template for creative spirit. Interestingly, Blake conceived of God as the brunt of imaginary force within all of us, feeding on that energy for spiritual sustenance, often to the risk of ridicule and monetary loss--yet screaming the maxim that answering the voice is the m0st important thing we can do as humans. Imagination and creativity as pillars of glory.

Van Gogh painted not from obligation but only because he saw something beautiful and wanted to convey his vision and feelings to others. Poetry is the same--recognition of the value of and beauty within things natural, and transforming the sensation into personal expression. Having your eyes open enough to want to bask in beautiful things, to express them to others, or simply to celebrate for its own sake.

"Writing--there is something necessary and life-giving about it. A state of excitement. And it is like a faucet: Nothing comes out unless you turn it on, and the more you turn it on, the more it comes. Do these things for internal gratification and enlightenment, not materialistic reward."

Ueland reminds me that there is magic also in contemplative idleness, letting the imagination ooze out of your pores. My experience is that not all inspiration is a spark of feverish scribbling. Solitude can facilitate my creativity, stripping away the often pointless burdens of daily static and just letting the spirit be. The holiness of spirit, it is that which is always searching, searching and trying to sift what we really think and feel from all the excess that school or society or poisonous relationships place on us.

The thoughts and visions that I write today are actually the result of some other days' idle solitude. As Blake so delicately puts it: "Sooner strangle an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires."

As I sit today on the banks of this creek, I feel some level of insight into my Imagination. The importance of the present. Embracing the imaginative. What do we have? Sitting and hearing the birds, murmuring of the water-- I saw three of the most vibrant bluebirds on the trail here, almost a turqoise, translucent blue. This, and the reading and the writing, has edified my soul.


On another note, Dave's run across Illinois is this coming weekend. I'll be crewing Friday night, camping out at a lock on the Hennepin Canal, crewing through Saturday, driving down to run the Dog Days 5k, driving back to camp at Buffalo Rock State Park, then crewing through Sunday. Report to follow sometime, contingent upon survival, of course.

Soundtrack: Avail, "Over the James"

Colorado

The trip to Colorado was incredible. Being a sworn and proud flatlander, it's always edifying to head into the mountains. We spent two days in Frisco/Breckenridge where I got some good training hikes into the Eagle's Peak Wilderness area above Frisco, CO, then on to Ouray, CO, where I was able to hit many of the town trails such as Portland Mine, Silvershield, and the Cascade system, along with the Red Mountain area between Ouray and Silverton, maxing out at 13,000 feet. Mostly hiking, a little downhill running, although I was surprised the altitude really didn't affect me much until over 12,000 ft. On to Colorado Springs for Pike's Peak, Garden of the Gods, etc. No 14ers this time, other than driving to the top of Pike's. Not enough time to get in to Sneffels or Sunlight. Next time for sure. Oh, and plenty of Fat Tire, Avalanche, and Black Butte to grease the gears.

Still, the San Juan Mountains around Ouray and Silverton have to be among the most stunning mountains on the planet. Hardrock is a fantasy goal for sometime before I die. Or maybe as I'm dying? Whatever it takes. A few obligatory pics:



Famous balancing rock at Garden of the Gods

Public school in Silverton, CO., start of Hardrock.

On the pass up between Red Mtn I and II.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison-- Montrose, CO. Not as wide as the Grand Canyon, but just as breathtaking.

Red Mtn area looking, I think, toward Wetterhorn Peak.

Taken from rutted Jeep road between Ouray and Silverton, near California Pass.

Off to the Mountains

Been getting in some good miles for Howl at the Moon. Did a good half marathon tempo run on the flat limestone Rock Island Trail two weeks and then a good 3 hour run at Farmdale on Sunday morning. I'm a bit nervous about doing long distance on a flat surface, as I tend to get hip soreness without hills, but hopefully all will go well.

Also, met with Dave and Marvin to plan Dave's run across Illinois. He decided to go from west to east, starting in the Quad Cities and utilizing the Hennepin, I & M Canal, and Old Plank trails as much as possible, finishing on the Indiana border in 4 days. I hope to get to crew at least part of the time.

Off to Colorado for a week of the mountains. Back in 8 days.

Farmdale Trail Runs

My friend, Dave Tapp, is spearheading a new event in central Illinois this fall--the Farmdale Trail Runs. There will be an 8 mile event and a 32.5 mile ultra distance on some great trail. The race will be on Sat., October 14 at the Farmdale Resevoir in Sunnyland (East Peoria), IL. The route highlights the best of this area: lots of wooded single track through hardwood and pine forest, water crossings, a few hills, some open meadow areas, wildlife (not just the runners).

We spent Memorial day morning measuring the course with local orienteering expert, Marvin Doyle.

Dave has put some info, pics and course descriptions on his website. You can contact him through there for more: http://happytrailrunner.blogspot.com/