The wind was howling when I hit the soft sand about an hour before sunset. The beach looked alive as waves in the sand formed covering my tracks seconds after I left each footprint. It felt like I was on another planet other than the countless seashells fighting to hold their ground against the wind bringing my back to Earth. Time seemed slow down as floated in the air suspended by the breath of god I was headed into. I was in no hurry and this gave me more time to be in the present. As I ran I could feel the sting of sand blowing off the ground letting me know I was still alive and not in some distant dreamland. Each snot rocket I blew was 30 feet behind me before it even detached. I wore no Headphones but instead ran singing aloud for only my ears to hear. I was pretty much alone out there except for the occasional seagull either stubbornly flying backwards or forward at an ungodly speed. The surf rats were driven home by turbulent seas and the few people I saw walking on the beach all greeted me with a smile. Soon before the sun disappeared I turned back. I felt like a flying Squirrel gliding through the air. With this wind, even if I was standing still I could still do a six minute mile. After one of the best sunsets I had ever seen the skies got even more beautiful. Clouds from a morning storm held the colors of the suns rays lighting my path with a spectrum of light long after the sun dipped below the horizon. I finished my run the same way it began, with a big old grin on my face
It had been my radar for the way too long the perfect course for
Luna Sandals and I had high hopes of running faster than I ever had before. For Beach bum like myself racing on a small island is ideal. It's very fast course full of fire roads and short climbs. If your a trail snob who loves getting brushed by poison oak on tight single track trails this is not the course for you.
(as opposed to the naive old cripple I have become)
In 2009 I missed out because I was Scuba diving in Mexico and Last year I ran the Calico 50k instead that same day.
At Calico I told Barefoot Ted we need to run Catalina next year!
Where exactly is Catalina you Ask?
Ted has great love for the Palos Verdes Peninsula and (so do I) About 20 miles off the coast lies a Island that resembles chunk of the peninsula that broke away. Mostly uninhabited other than small town of Avalon (pop 3,728) on one side and the much smaller village of Two Harbors (pop 150) on the other. The island home to many Indigenous California plants and also has a herd of buffalo that roam it freely.
See that rock just past my pier? That's the northern tip of the island
Let's do it.
The trip was planned and it turns out we were even gonna be joined by our buddy Reese whom we befriended at Leadville. I believe she has since become some kind of movie star? (The video is okay but the dancing at the end is priceless)
Well life doesn't always go as planned. I've been suffering from an Injury occurred on New Years Eve at Across the Years. January 8th was the first day I tried running again. I made in half a mile. Two days later I could run 1.5 miles. and the day before I was to leave to the island I almost got to 3 miles before the pain set in.
For the past few weeks I have been forced into a life of C.R.I.M.E.
Compression, Rest, Ice, Massage, Elevate
Not listening to my body got me into this predicament you'd think I'd learned my lesson but a few delusional thoughts still lingered in my brain.
"I was getting stronger, 50 miles isn't much farther than 3, right?
If only I didn't have to use my left leg?
The Hamster in my brain began to spin out all kinds of ideas
A three legged race perhaps?
(sidenote: the dude in the center is are new friend Javier who was running is first 50 milers and finished 6th, Way to go dude)
What about the fans would they be okay with that?
As much as I wanted to make it happen it turns out both Reese and I had bunk left legs so if we were to go the three legged route it we'd be be running in circles and I might spill my beer. Plus the Hooker boot I found on the beach used to equalize our height discrepancy was a few sizes too small.
I was still game but sadly it didn't work out.
I earned a new nick name this weekend
"Pat Sedentary"
My friend tried to type my name in her phone and auto correct did it's job personifying how I felt.
(I guess it's better than Pat Dysentery)
These the cards I've been dealt for now. Well whoopidee doo!
Time to get our butts over to the island.
We jumped on the Catalina Express out of Long Beach and said good bye to the mainland.
Thanks to Barefoot Ted's clever Afganny Woman disguise were able to avoid both Paparazzi and Zoo keepers.
As we approached the Island we had a few Escorts
Tracey and Laura.
Joining us was a really cool couple that were friends with Ted.
Both of them had chose some most excellent footwear.
It turns out Tracey is a world class Ultra Runner who once ran 250 miles during a 72 hour race.
The view from the place we were staying was pretty rough huh?
The only way you could make it any more beautiful would be to add a hot chick wearing Luna Sandals?
In the immortal words of Barefoot Ted
"Dude"
(thanks Reese)
The starting line was a whole 3 minute walk from our pad
If the fridge could only hold one item I'm glad it was this. Eventually we picked up some avocados so that we had the basic two food groups covered.
Sadly nobody got their Wiki whacked but I did have a Green Flash I.P.A. (well maybe I had 2)
We cruised back to our pad and crashed out at about 8p.m. so Ted could get some rest.
(I felt like 9 year old)
The night before Tracy (on the right) said was gonna run 20 miles the morning of the race. At 4:30 a.m. freezing cold in bed I asked her if she was still gonna go run? She just smiled.
I had nothing better to do at 5:a.m. so stumbled down to the starting line to wish Ted and others good luck.
In case you didn't know Ted's the one in the Luna ATS sandals. Reese was there to pace Ted but it might be difficult to run 50 miles in those big clunker shoes :)
I told them to enjoy the sunrise and then they were off and running.
(Standing on the sidelines kind of sucks! Brrr! I'm going bed)
Tangent of Randomness
I get back to the room and snuggled down under a barrage of blankets . Then in what seemed like seconds later someone busts in through the door and headed straight for the kitchen. "What Who Huh." I couldn't figure out what to say. A voice called out "Mary sent me to turn off the hot plate."
who the hell is Mary? I thought.
"I think you got the wrong place but thanks anyway."
(on second thought it was kind of cold I wish she would have turned on the oven)
While I rested Ted and Reese saw this.
(if that aint inspiration to run next year I don't know what is?)
Ted at Mile 37 Looking good
After A lazy morning gorging myself on chips and avocado's I perused down to the finish line to see if my buddy Fabrice could win the race for the second year in a row
And that he did. Way to go Dude!
It was a heart warming moment to witness as Fabrice's beautiful wife shed tears of joy for her beloved while they embraced.
After the race the three top finishers took a dunk in the Pacific together. Congrats to them and all the other participants.
I decided to stroll up the the final 2 miles of the course
The flora was quite Beautiful
And the Fauna was pretty fast
I made sure to stay in view of my home for the weekend so that I wouldn't get lost
(On second though maybe I'm better off getting lost? this place is pretty amazing)
Catalina also happens to be the perfect place to relax in Luna Sandals.
Maybe this "Pat Sedentary" thing aint so bad after all?
After cruising around for awhile I decided to head back to town.
I hadn't had any avocado's in a few hours and was getting hungry a beer was also starting to sound good.
By now it was about 8:30 minutes into the race My friend Annie Seawright was running who I expected around 9 hours Ted was also still out on the course but I didn't expect him to come in until well after 10 hours.
I headed over to the store (bought 3 avocado's a bottle of hot sauce and a beer) and by the time I got back at about 8:50 Annie had snuck through the finish line and was gone.
(doh)
I never got a chance to congratulate her. Perhaps I should go over to facebook and do that right now.
(hold on)
Alright I'm back.
Oh well. I then headed back to the room for 30 minutes to eat my lunch. Reese was back, because of her sore leg she decided to only run 20 miles and then help out at an aid station. I gave her a little kind hearted grief about only running 20 but who was I to talk I hadn't done Squat.
Time to go watch Ted finish.
But
by the time I got back down to the finish line he was already. When did Ted get so damn fast?
Ted gave me his signature pose.
I call it "The Jester"
(To me it always looks like he's pretending to juggle. I'd of drawn in some chainsaws but by now you can probably tell how limited my artistic skills are.)
Philosophical side note:
The Jester is often the smartest man in the room. He is aware of his surroundings and feeds off the pulse of his environment. He dares to different, try new things, make the impossible possible and provide joy to all that are fortunate enough to be in his presence.
Ted looked in amazing shape at the Finish line his Luna ATS was perfect for this course and it was his fastest 50 miler ever!
It took him only34,232 Seconds to go 3,168,000 inches
Amazing!
I was really proud of the dude. Ted has some really exciting plans for this year and I think this race is a good Omen of things to come. Best of luck to you brother!
His feet looked great
What's Teds secret?
Rumor is that each night he spends a few hours stretching his body on the rack.
Come to think of it his legs do look a little longer than I remember.
I really didn't do much that day as far as exercise that day. Night fell and everyone one else seemed pretty tired
I tried feeding my little buddy Reese some Bourbon.
She was a good sport but at three drops she was 2 drops passed her limit.
Her mannerisms were priceless
(and don't worry she's over 21)
:)
about 5 minutes later she was out cold.
to her credit she managed to stay up 30 mins later than the night before.
"8:30 p.m."
"What a rookie."
My final morning there was only one thing left to do?
Embrace all that surrounds me, take a few minutes to enjoy life and be grateful to have the opportunity to be in a place as beautiful as this. Although I couldn't run I had great time with friends both new and old.
Eventually it was time for the tourists to get off this rock
I dig Catalina for all it's worth but I have no quarrels with heading back to the South Bay
The local's were there to see us off.
On the boat ride home Ted and I met this kick ass dude name Rusty. Avalon was his first 50 miler and guess what?
He ran it in Luna Sandal's.
A "rEvolution" is a foot.
Time to embrace your inner Lunacy
Back on the mainland we headed down to my beach for the afternoon where I got in a short run with Reese and played a little frisbee with Ted.
After a little rehab twister at my pad.
Ted headed back to Seattle and Reese to Colorado
Picked up some rations. and ran a local 5k with my sis.
After finishing the the race I ran back to help hydrate my sister and give her some motovation to faster.
(I am such an awesome brother! just don't ask my sister about that.)
How I missed the first 15 years of this race I don't know
How'd that guy win the race.
After winning at Grand View race I ran straight through the finshline to my car and drove to another race that started exactly 1 hour after the first one began.
Where I also collected some hardware.
The next day it was time to relax in San Diego and watch my sister finish her first marathon.
It's not all about racing
I go to the track every once and awhile
I trained hard on the sand even got out to trail a few times
A dude's got to relax every once in awhile
Eventually it was time to get back to business
Probally my crowning achievement of the year. winning the Hermosa 24 and stting anew Guinness world record.
Stoked!
I had to sprint to the starting line with my turd of a surfboard on my head
I arrived late starting the run stuck in the middle of the pack. I got my ass smoked in the paddle, and almost redeemed myself with some heroic beer chugging. (finishing 3rd)
The weather was beautiful and the race started in my hometown
It was a bit lonely out in front
My Luna Sandals gave me the protection I needed to go fast.
Life's a Beach
Across the Years
scroll down to the next blog post if you wanna find out about that Debauchery.
That took way to long.
2012 may already be over by the time your reading this.
I ran 32 races in 2011 I was injured maybe one 1/3 of year, because of this I was never at full strength. I did the best I could with sub par training I ran less that 3,000 for the year Ideally I would to be around 4,000. I finished the year once again injured this time with a shin splint.
(talk about a grumpy Gus)
It's about time for some positivity!
I got to go on quite a few adventures thanks mainly in part to the Luna Sandals Company and drank a lot of free beer thanks to the Stone Brewing Company. I met so many great people, and had more wonderful experiences this year than any prior year of my life. Thank you to all my friends and family for your support of my non conventional lifestyle.
The world is what you make of it and I'm gonna make 2012 Kick Ass.
Photo by Chelsea (I don't know her last name)
Yipee!
