trail running – Page 6

January 30, 2010

Copper Canyon Ultramarathon documentary

Often called the “greatest runners in the world”, Mexico’s Raramuri Indians currently wear these sandals handmade from rubber tires.

They are much studied by researchers of the Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear movement.

Living in Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountain range, the Raramuri Indians are some of the best long distance runners in the world, but how far can they run in the face of problems like environmental damage, loss of native lands, and the drug war? An American ultra marathon runner known as Caballo Blanco is fighting to help the Raramuri preserve their culture and tradition of long distance running. The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon is the result.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

January 21, 2010January 27, 2010

book review – Born to Run

On the insistence of my Adventure Racing buddy, Dave Adlard, I bought a book.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

A fantastic read, even for non-runners. The author, Christopher McDougall, (video) is a master story teller. I was gripped by this true life story.

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. …

It’s available on Audible.com, as well as in a Kindle edition.

Get it!

Christopher Mcdougall reminds me of Jon Krakauer, another magazine scribe turned author.

Born to Run is as engaging as anything by Krakauer.

The culminating Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen is set in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. I visited as a tourist in 1999. Fantastic.

I’ve long planned to return for some serious hiking there. Unfortunately, as the book describes vividly, it’s very dangerous today as the Canyons are home to big marijuana plantations. You might get shot.

October 30, 2009October 30, 2009

7 great hikes in 7 days

Why would anyone do 7 New Zealand Great Walks in only 7 days?

Day 1 – November 29th – 42.7km – Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk

Day 2 – November 30th – 41km – Tongariro Northern Circuit

Day 3 – December 1st – 51.9km – Abel Tasman Coast Track

Day 4 – December 2nd – 78.4km – Heaphy Track

Day 5 – December 3rd – 32.1km – Routeburn Track

Day 6 – December 4th – 53.5km – Milford Track

Day 7 – December 5th – 60.1km – The Kepler Challenge*

Total distance – 359.7km

The Runner, 49yr-old Malcolm (Mal) Law.

… My brother Alan died of Leukaemia back in 1969. Ever since then I have harboured the idea of doing something amazing to raise funds for research into a cure for this cruel disease. …

Click through for the details – It’s going to hurt!

(via Adventure Blog)

October 24, 2009October 29, 2009

10km fun run, XTERRA, Maui

I’m happy to have survived. And fairly happy with my time of 1hr 12min, or so.

Since I’d not done any distance “running” since June, I placed myself at the very back of the pack for the start. That way I’d not suffer the indignity of little girls passing me en route. (The winner of the 2008 5km Women’s division was 13yrs-old.)

For the first 4km I took it very easy, unsure whether or not I’d hit some kind of 8km “wall”. Like most at the back of the pack, I walked some of the steeper sections when I felt walking would be as fast as a slow jog.

At about the half way point I started to feel GREAT and began to push the stride length. Started passing lots of people.

The XTERRA course trails are infamous for loose volcanic rock. But I found this one fairly tame. No chance of a sprained ankle, even on the steeper descents. There was a fair bit of elevation but no huge hills.

In my ignorance I didn’t know that the last mile or so was along the ocean. Soft sand and jagged rock. Heat, humidity and sand sucks your energy. I passed almost no one on my “kick” though I felt strong.

Though billed as something of a fun run, there are some very serious runners. Mike Tobin, past winner of the XTERRA triathlon, was slumming it in the 10km. And he only came 3rd!

XTERRA 10km home page

I’ll be a spectator tomorrow for the World Championships.

2-time defending champ Melanie McQuaid — 3 time XTERRA World Champion Melanie McQuaid

I just attended a clinic with some of the favourites: Julie Dibens, Melanie McQuaid, Nico Lebrun and Conrad Stoltz. Yesterday I listened to Shonny Vanlandingham and Josiah Middaugh. Inspiring!

October 13, 2009October 2, 2009

Kilian Jornet – record Tahoe Rim Trail

Kilian Jornet is the two-time defending champion of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.

He holds the trail running record for the GR20 traverse of Corsica, one of the toughest tracks in Europe.

In September he took 7hrs off the record for the Tahoe Rim Trail in California.

Tahoe-Rim-trail

At only age-21, sponsored by Soloman, you’ll be hearing his name often in future: Kílian Jornet Burgada.

Details on Gear Junkie – Tahoe Rim Trail Run Record

October 11, 2009October 1, 2009

Mt Whitney Double

Whitney is the highest mountain in the continental USA.

Fedak linked to an amazing trip report.

By Rick Kent:

I started at midnight. For the first trip I decided to go up the Mountaineers Route. Despite going from Portal to summit (and much of the way back) in the dark I made good time. It helps that I know the route well. I reached the summit at 3:43am (3 hrs 40 mins from the Portal). I was alone on the summit and the hut was empty. I returned to the Portal a little after sunrise at 6:54am for a total roundtrip time of 6 hrs 51 mins.

This quick time had me briefly wondering whether a 3rd summit would be possible. That dillusion was thoroughly dispelled on my 2nd trip up. For the 2nd trip I decided to go for the Main Trail. I took a half hour break before starting. As much as I knew I needed to eat I couldn’t manage to get much down. I started up the Main Trail at 7:22am.

As I closed in on Trail Camp I began to slow noticeably. Both the MT and MR are hard on the calves (too many steps). Going up the switchbacks my speed slowed further. I past a few other hikers but only just barely. By the time I reached Trail Crest my calves were done. From Trail Crest to summit was agonizingly slow and my calves kept wanting to cramp up. For some reason I kept thinking about my first time up Whitney almost exactly 7 years ago. I reached the summit for the 2nd time at 1:11pm. I was thoroughly depleted. Time from Portal to summit was a less than stellar 5 hrs 49 mins. Roundtrip time was 9 hrs 33 mins.

I regained strength on the way down. I did some running but for the most part just took a fast pace. My priority now was to get down in time for a burger at the Portal. I knew this would probably be my last Portal burger for the year so I was well motivated. I reached the the Portal at 4:53pm. …

Although the 2nd summit was a bit harder than I expected both trips together took less than 17 hours combined. This marked my 28th and 29th Whitney summits.

Whitney Double 9/27/09

Our Mt Whitney information page.

October 7, 2009

Ultra Tour Trail du Mont Blanc 2009

Laura Jones, a reporter from the U.K., hiked a 10 day tour:

… the lovely thing about the TMB is that the drama of those awesome panoramas of glaciers and mountain peaks are interspersed with walking green valleys filled with Alpine flowers, twisty turney streams, chalky blue mountain lakes – and if you’re lucky marmosettes.

The changing scenery that accompanies the ascents and descents kept me hooked.

There were whole days where we didn’t see another soul as we walked ridges running alongside racks of glaciers.
Other days we passed through hamlets, villages and towns and then really appreciated being back in civilisation:
Champex, Courmayer and La Fouly were particularly lovely. …

read more – Tour de Mont Blanc

That article links to the most extreme version of the TMB:

… the biggest trail ultra in the world. With 2300 competitors, 166kms of Alpine trails, 9,400 metres ascent and 3 countries to pass through …

Spud’s Blog

Check out TMB information page if you might be interested in hiking it yourself one day.

September 12, 2009September 2, 2009

Fjällräven Classic – a hiking race

Fjällräven, a Swedish company specialising in outdoor clothing, sponsors an annual hiking race.

Hiking race?

I’ve never heard of this concept before. And 2000+ partipants attended this year!

The competition element is downplayed, however. It’s not in the same category as most other trail races. In this event, you must carry a pack. And sleep in a tent. Most people do it for FUN.

Under the RULES, it seems littering is the biggest breach – immediate disqualification! (I do like that.)

Participants walk from Nikkaluokta 110km to Abisko. (This is the first section of the famed Kungsleden trail. Of the 2000 racers, some no doubt continue to the end of that 440km (270mi) through hike.)

Medals are awarded: Gold if you finish in less than 72hrs, Silver less than 96hrs, Bronze under 120hrs.

Jörgen Johansson finished fastest in 2009, 13hrs 25min.

official website – fjallraven.com/classic

Johannes Huwe posted a report on his Trailblaze blog. He took home a gold.

June 24, 2009June 21, 2009

hiking with booze?

I’m for it, of course.

The greatest backcountry boozer I’ve hiked with is Kelly Mock, then living in Whitehorse, Yukon. It was Kelly that carried a “Bubba” (mini keg of beer) over the Golden Staircase to Happy Camp on the famed Chilkoot Trail in Alaska.

Arriving on the solstice, Kelly bought a round for the house at Happy.

He’s been one-upped.

beer-keg

Michael Popov carried 20lbs of beer up 4,000′ of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the continental USA. He was doing some kind of loco carbo loading / altitude acclimatization for his record breaking unsupported John Muir Trail run. (4 days, 5 hours and 25 minutes from Mount Whitney to Yosemite Valley)

This is mentioned in Aaron Sorensen’s trip report from both Michael’s and his attempt that year.

Leave a comment if you’ve seen a greater feat of trudging alcohol up hill.

Here’s beer for you wimpy lightweight backpackers. (Treehugger hates this.)

beer-to-go-1

Incidentally, Aaron Sorensen will be starting June 28th an attempt on the Unsupported Record on the Lake Tahoe Rim Trail. No one has claimed this record yet. Aaron is looking at 55-60hrs for the 168 miles.

June 17, 2009June 14, 2009

trail running Zabriskie Point, Death Valley

My favourite vista in Death Valley is one of the most popular.

As well as being a curious film by Antonioni (1970), Zabriskie Point is an elevated overlook of a colorful, undulating landscape of gullies and mud hills at the edge of the Funeral Mountains, a few miles from the edge of Death Valley …

American Southwest

Zabriskie
flickr – wenzday01 – larger version