Trail Running
 

Okay, I need exercise. If I don't work out I get depressed, fat, and say mean things to tw. I can't ride with brokey arm. I won't run on the road, wrestling and soccer training took the fun out of that and it hurts. I took a jog with lil Griff on my mtn bike trail last week and found it enjoyable. So tonight I "ran" my bike loop and it really felt goooood. Lots of nature to look at, a good sweat, and got the blood flowing. So do any of you folks run x-country?

I would love to Griff, but the kids are still a bit too little. We speed-walk trails, occasionally jogging for short bits, about 5X a week though. We have a state park nearby with an awsome trail system and I'm really enjoying it.

My cross country race is tomorrow, I am PUMPED! I'll post before and after pics of me and my pal. My goal? To see how dirty I can get, and not hurt myself in the process. Here is the poster of last years run:

I love to "scramble" across country, and versus street running, I would say the difference is somewhat like the difference between lifting free weights versus lifting on machines, IE more whole-body involvement with balancing muscles, etc. and more tactile feedback. The immersion in nature also makes it a spiritual-type experience, in my opinion. Enjoy!

Yay! Run for fun!

The guy in the red hat is asking for a sprained ankle or broken leg. :eek:

I love trail running - keeps your ankles strong, faar far more interesting than road running and a better workout, IMO.

labrat, when I saw that link you posted a while back (to that farmland x-c race, whatever it's called), I was really jealous! Not too much x-c running going on in Taiwan, despite some awesome terrain.

xob, the guy jumping has the right idea. Who are those panzies sliding on their asses? Wimps.

OK!! here are the pictures fellow trail runners! It was such a blast. Everyone was in such a good mood. Tons of people were dressed up in costumes...it was a riot!!

Unfortunately my 'el chepo disposable camera didn't take the greatest pictures. As the run went on, the pictures get foggier and foggier because I was carrying it in my pocket. It must have been hot and steamy in there, cuz the pics look like it was foggy but it's just rat sweat steaming up the inside of the camera!! TMI???

Here is Stimpy and I before: Damn I'm short.

Santa was there with all of his reindeer. They actually run the whole 7 miles attached to one another. Unfortunately we didn't see them during the run. But, with 5500 (!) runners, I can see why.

Blue man group made an appearance. We did see them along they way.

This guy, affectiontely called "The Indian" apparently does this annually. You can't see it but he is barefoot! We saw him again at the end by the donuts. He was COVERED in goosebumps. Apparently whatever he had in that mug had worn off.

This one's kind of bad cuz it was taken on the run, but there are people as far as the eye can see around this field. Notice the chick dressed as a Christmas tree in the corner?

For the creek crossings, there was usually a hard way:

Or an easy way.

The first hill that took all 4 limbs to conquer:

This hill was had ropes to help you get up it. I tried the left path, and ended up opting for a little yellow help. Wuss. I know, I know.

My favorite shot, taken from the top of a hill looking down. My rat steam actually makes it look kind of cool.

At one point, there was a fork, longer and easier, shorter and harder. Stimpy took the easy way, I opted for the harder. Bring it on!

That kind of summarizes they way we look at life, Stimpy and I. She tends to be a bit more dainty and reserved, while I tend to jump in with both feet, worrying about the messes later.

Can't wait to do it again next year. It was so much fun. One last shot of me conquring a "Horsey Donut". Those things are harder to get up on than you would think! (Blurred out people I didn't know who looked like they were <18)

That does look like fun...if you are someone who isn't me. For my part, the only way I'd run 7 miles of trails through the woods is if they released a truckload of rabid weasels on my heels.

What was the temperature? It looks too cold to get your feet wet!

38, maybe 40 degrees F.

Here is the map of wwhat this year's course was. Here is some video. Most of it is of the front runners though.

Man, looks like a great time!

Woohoo Labrat and Stimpy! That looks like a blast! Great job with the pictures too.

Awesome rat! Loved your photos. Sign me up for next year.

Jumping isn't the problem, landing is, especially when you can't see what you're landing in.
There might be gators. :worried:

Good coverage, Lab Rat, thanks.

alright, then. cellar gtg in iowa next year for the run. we'll need something to identify us though... how about new cellar sweathshirts, hats, and a caseload of crack for those of us who can't imagine running 7 miles volutarily?

I would seriously, totally host that!!!!!!!!

Rock on LR and Stempy !!!!
That looks like FUN !!!

Of corse I have to agree with Splode here , I would n't run but I would fix up a nice hot hot of hot chocolet !!!

C'mon Elspode, you know that you would do the run.

Labrat, that looks like a lot of fun.

I am all for trail running, it's a blast, I have never understood those people that run on the road. I usually MTB 4 or 5 days a week and usually about 2 days a week I will run afterwards. I take the kids often to a trail we have close to home for hikes and my little one (4 yo) will often run, he loves to run anywhere and everywhere, I hope he keeps that. The older one is a hard core biker already, started riding the trails at 5 yo and now at 7 he can clear most anything including logs.

:lol:

Great "aerial photo".:lol2:

Great run labrat! It looks like a blast! :)

Torrere, You are funny :)

So, my first 5K race of 2007 is this weekend, the Freeze Fest. Sounds like it's going to live up to it's name this year...I just checked out our local news channel's website for the forcast:

A major winter storm will move across the Rockies tonight and head for this weekend. Winter storm watches will go into effect Friday night and will likely continue through Sunday. The potential for significant snow, sleet and ice accumulations exist beginning after 6pm on Friday night. Later on Saturday the colder weather will work in and that means snow.


Fri
21°L 38°H
Wintry mix develops late

Sat
31°L 37°H
Rain or freezing rain

Better get some ice spikes for my sneaks! :eek:

I have been doing that sort of running for years
 

its called HASHING!! And best thing? There is beer involved!! Check it out here...
http://www.half-mind.com/Hashing/who.htm
http://www.half-mind.com/

Is the Labrat alive?

Ended up being cancelled due to weather, and rescheduled for the 18th of March. (my birthday:D )

Squad-

There were HHHers at my undergrad/grad school, University of Northern Iowa. Knew a few of them, and heard enough of their stories to know I wasn't interested in that type of a 'running' club.

Not that I'm against drunken debauchery, au contraire!! I just like to keep my hobbies separate. :D

You know, I just now saw Torrere's rendition of the course showing the relative positions of my dead body and Labrat on her third lap. Nice!

OK! So, who's on board for this years LHF race????

Stimpy and I are doing it, who else? C'mon, you know it's gonna be a BLAST! I'll be your coach. Maybe award special prizes at the end...;)

Well?

Can I run behind you?

Wait... that's probably not optional.

Let me re-phrase that: will you run right in front of me?

Sure, if you can keep up. I'll save you a donut at the end. :D

OK, So we have a C and and E, we need 4 more people!!!!

Why am I so confused here? c and e?

Scroll up to the top, on the right in red and yellow. ;)

Training has started. Anyone with me????

I'm right behind you!

OK wiseguy, I have a favor to ask. Since I'll apparently need to outrun you, and I'm guessing I have a significantly shorter stride, do you have any upbeat (150-160bpm) MP3's of some of you drumming? My longest run will be 8 miles, so 80 minutes should do. But, beggers can't be choosers, so I'll take what I can get.

I know you have a babe on the way, I'm not asking you to make a 'tape', but if you have any cool stuff I'd love to hear it. TIA!

my knees take the distance better ever since i switched to toe running (that was a bitch of a transition) but i still don't think they'll hold together for the distances you are talking about. I'll give it a shot though.

what do i need to do?

I am using Halhigdon.com's 15K beginner's program this year. Last year I used the HH.com 10K plan, which I posted (#16) in the "anyone here run a marathon?" thread. I have retyped it into Excel, to keep track better of what I was supposed to do vs. what I actually did. I'd be glad to email that to you if you PM'd me an address. My cross training is usually biking.

You are probably in good enough shape now, with all the soccer etc. because this 'race' really isn't. There are sections of running punctuated by a lot of waiting at bottlenecks from the creek crossings and hill climbs, so it's not like you are running the whole 7 miles continuously. Which, IMHO is part of the fun, cuz you can actually shoot the breeze and make fun of how dirty people are, or try to get your friends dirty...:)

If you are serious, I'm in week 2 of the 15K program. Would be great to have another running partner! As for your knees, go toa running store, and get a recommendation from them. It is worth it. My knees bug me when it's time for a new pair (after about 325-350 miles in them). You should have a pair used only for running.

it isn't so much the running that beats up my knees, it is the running combined with several hours each week being kicked, slamming into the ground, etc.

I'll give it a shot. When is the race, BTW?

Sweet!

Living History Farms website.

Saturday November 17th 9:00am.

Here's what I've done so far. Purple is what I'm supposed to do, black is what I've actually done :). Hopefully, I'll be on track now, and the plan is to do cycling as my cross training, with an occasional pilates video for core strength and freeweights for upperbody strength.

The pic isn't that good, stupid paint. Sry.

LR - for many things Irfanview is better and it's free.

Hey, thanks a lot. Free is good! I need to get the plug-ins DLd, but here's my first pic. Easy peasy.

Here's some moral support for my virtual training partner taken after an am run:

Rats. I don't really follow professional runners, but Marion Jones was one person I liked. Hearing that she wasn't clean in the 2000 Olympics broke my heart this morning.

Well, Lookout, how's it going? Still with me?? I did my 4 miler yeterday evening at dusk. Was an awsome fall afternoon, with the wind blowing the leaves out of the trees so that it looked like it was snowing. It felt really good, I pushed myself a bit. I'm not sore at all today, which is a nice sign of improving leg endurance.

Did I mention Stimpy is single? and smart? and tall? ;)

Crap. Just got word Lookout is out. So unless anyone else brings up this thread, I'll let it drift to the bottom of the pile. *sigh*

My daughter and I did the 1st inaugural Devil's Dash Cross Country run yesterday. It was a perfect fall day. Little breeze, no clouds, and 56 degrees F at the start. Primo running weather for me.

Despite still fighting a nasty chest bug, I placed 2nd in my age group!!! (OK, it was a slow age group, but still!!) Toot Toot!!

28th of 101 women overall.

I was curious so I counted my race T-shirts, and his was my 21st running event since my first 5K 1998. I'll post a pic of the stuff in the "collection" thread, since I guess this qualitfies as what I collect :D

1 half marathon
1 sprint triathlon
1 7 mi cross country
1 10K road (6.2 mi)
17 5Ks (3.1 mi)