Branches, Mt. Williamson

Lost

We started at Islip Saddle at about 5:30am, after having stashed water at stops along the way.The run began with a nearly 2 mile climb up Mt. Williamson. It was a beautiful run as the sun was rising. I took the lead, which was probably not…
Mount Williamson

Islip to Chilao

I am confident that I am physically ready for AC100. What I'm not as confident about is that I am mentally ready.Mahatma Gandhi is famously quoted as saying "I have only three enemies. My favorite enemy, the one most easily influenced for…

Trail work & Training: Week ending April 22

I picked the first day of trailwork because I reckoned the temperatures would be lower, and because we would be working on a section of trail that wasn't exposed or covered in poodle-dog bush. It was also my birthday.My plan worked out halfway,…
Snowman at Mt. Lowe

Week in Review: Mt. Lowe Snow

April 9 - 15. Every time I run El Prieto, I run into Ian Rusk, who stops and introduces himself and tells me how many consecutive days he's hiked. Saturday made 1009 days in a row. When it's raining, as it did Friday, he hikes in his hallway.…

Cherry Canyon Overtones

The Cherry Canyon trails and fireroads have become a favorite weekday morning run. There's a network of fireroads over rolling hills, and on the northern half of the park there is also a network of short singletrack trails intersecting the…
Silver Moccasin Trail Between Shortcut & Charlton Flats

Week in Review: April 2 - 8

This week was a step-back week - what should have been a relaxed 76 miles that somehow still managed to have some serious elevation gain - 15,600 feet of climbing. For all you road runners, the much-talked-about and dreaded Heartbreak Hill at…

Calico 50K on video

The original plan was to fully document this race. That turned out to be a bad idea.I set out to run with a camera attached to my head and another in my pocket - too much gear, especially when it started malfunctioning (which is the way I explain…
Mt. Lowe Railroad

Week in Review: March 26 - April 1

My longest mileage week yet. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw split runs - 6 or 7 miles in the morning, and then the same again in the evening after work; the evenings usually in Griffith Park and the mornings Cherry Canyon, Debs Park, &…
San Gabriel Mountains

Week in Review: March 19 - 25

Finally, a good week. I made my mileage for only the 2nd or 3rd time since ac100 training began in earnest at the beginning of the year.I attribute this almost entirely to my new Hoka Mafates. I was skeptical of this shoe when I first saw…
Pile of Montrail Shoes

Shoe Fetish part 1: Montrail Troubles

I know that barefoot running cures just about everything. I've read all the stories about how almost immediately after putting on their first pair of barefoot shoes, the blind could hear, the deaf could see, and the wheelchair-bound could play…
Oranges, Echo Park

Corner Market

They've put up all the street-closure signs for the LA Marathon this Sunday.The cashier at the little Mexican market around the corner from where I used to live in Echo Park 5 years ago remembers me running it in 2010. I remember her cheering…

Calico 50K 2012

A return visit to my first ultra. Flashback to January 2011. I'd just run a marathon distance long run - 'round and 'round the Silverlake Reservoir 12 times on the day after Christmas, after an autumn of nagging injuries and canceled road races.Kista…
Hilda Xicarra, tears of joy

Rocky Road 50 & 100 mile Endurance Run

Rocky Road 100 is held along horse trails in Coto de Caza, in Orange County. Originally intended as a counter to Texas' Rocky Racoon, with liberal cut-off times and an equally non technical course that combine to make it especially favorable…

Bib #123

They've assigned bib numbers for AC100. My bib is #123.When I saw that, my heart started pounding. It became much more real than it was when they published the list of runners. I got nervous.There are a few people I know who seem to doubt…

Griffith Park, Wednesday Morning

Wednesday morning, 8am. A 6 mile weekday trail run through Griffith Park. Single-track & hills, training for AC100