I DON’T RECOGNIZE THE MILLENNIALS THE SOCIAL CRITICS ARE DESCRIBING

In article after article, the press and other opinion writers wring their hands about the millennial generation. They complain that the people in this generation are wimpish, selfish and spoiled. I don’t recognize these characteristics in my daughters or other people I know. The people who have these characteristics are I believe, a very vocal and politically savvy minority. That said, the minority should be listened to and treated as adults even if at times they act childishly.

Safe Rooms & Triggering in Colleges

In the articles criticizing  millennials, this hot topic has been Exhibit A in showing that this generation of people are weak and are demanding to be treated as children. Say a so called “triggering” insult to my kids and they will respond directly and I guarantee you will not like it.  As their parents, this is what we taught our children to do. We didn’t tell them to find a safe place and play with dolls or color. We taught them to stand up for themselves, to think for themselves and to have a work ethic. At no time did any of my daughters complain to me that it was racism that prevented them from accomplishing their goals. They adapted and overcame whatever obstacles they encountered. It is beyond belief that my children are in the minority in this regard.

Lazy Millennials

I look to my daughters, now 27, 29 & 30 and recall that they all were working babysitting jobs in their early teens, worked at stores or restaurants in their late teens, worked their way through college and now work full time jobs. When I go to stores, offices, factories, coffee shops etc., most of the people working are young. Many of them work 2 or 3 jobs. One such person I know, works at a juice bar, a coffee shop and as a security guard. With the money she earned, she bought herself a car. She is learning to do her own car repairs. She is 21 and grew up without parents. I dare you to call her lazy.

Selfish Millennials

Look at any website and do some research on who set it up. Chances are real good, it was a group of millennials. This would include websites such as Fundme and the like. It’s all well and good for billionaires to donate to charity, its quite another thing to help others when you have little income. In addition, most of the members of the Military are millennials. I would call these people unselfish given that they are risking their lives for something other than their selves and often doing so for people who are suffering. When the next natural disaster strikes, take a good look at the volunteers who are cleaning up the polluted water or are gathering food and water for people who’ve lost their homes. To call millennials selfish is a lie.

So if I’m correct that the majority of the people in this age group aren’t being wimpy, selfish or spoiled, why then are they described as such? My theory is that: 

(1)       Power is gained by college administrators by promising to address this so-called problem
and they use it to enlarge their budgets and justify higher tuition costs.  

(2)       The administrators fear losing their jobs because of a vocal minority. This is a reality and    face it, academics rarely have spines of steel.

(3)       Anger of the students who see a bleak future for themselves and need someone to blame.      Some people have always blamed their poor choices on others and see themselves as victims. This has nothing to do with which generation you were born into.

(4)       Some so-called adults want to deny that the college students complaints have some            validity. It’s a lot easier to tell someone to shut up then it is to sit down with them and listen. It’s also difficult to have empathy for someone who is screaming at you.

How to Respond

If I were a college administrator, here’s is how I would respond to the students at Missouri. First, I’d meet with them and listen. Second, I’d make it clear that while I will take their complaints seriously, in order for me to take them seriously, they need to act like adults and not children. tantrums are not convincing. Third, I would bring in outside people to get some independent opinions on the complaints. Finally, I would act on those complaints that are legitimate and explain respectfully why other complaints are not legitimate. All meetings would be recorded and made public.  

So stop the hand wringing

We older people should take a good hard look at ourselves and stop pointing fingers at the millennials. After all, they are our children, grand-children, nephews, nieces etc and WE KNOW our family members aren’t lazy, selfish or wimpish, right? Stereotypes are always the tool of the lazy or the media wanting to sell newspaper or attract an audience to their shows. Let’s not fall into that trap. Baby boomers, Gen X-ers and Y-ers are labels too. Don’t be a label, be an individual and treat others as individuals too. 

Why I love running in the rain

Let’s just get this out right away, my fondness for running in the rain may have more to do with being born in Eugene, Oregon in November. I’m sure it was cold and raining and I am equally sure, upon exiting my Mother, I was screaming to get outdoors. My other reasons for loving to run in the rain, sleet or snow are:

1)         There are less people. By that, less people on the sidewalks and nobody on the trails. Just        me, some deer and the occasional rabbit. Nobody to dodge or slow down for and even  better, nobody on horseback demanding I get off their trail. On the sidewalk, less people mean less dodging the slow walkers waddling their way to the mall or the groups of  women (sorry ladies-I've never had this problem with men) walking side by side while chatting who ignore my polite requests to get past.

2)         It’s quieter. Even when I’m running on the sidewalk, the rain, wind etc. muffle the urban sounds. It’s possible to think. On the trails, the silence is even more sublime. Just the sounds of my feet, breathing and the occasional animal sounds-birds chirping or rabbits   scurrying through the brush.

3)       The snakes that can pop up on my trails when its warm are buried deep in their holes and           they are welcome to stay there until summer.

4)         Most of my competition (the Geezers) aren’t on the trails. If they’re working out, it’s in     the gym. Sorry fellas, walking the stairmaster will never equal going up the steeps. Rainy day runs will be a fond memory when things get grim during a race. I will know that I can run keep running no matter what the conditions are. I will have an edge.

5)        Sometimes, if I'm up high enough, the rain turns to snow and then its heavenly fun and I laugh and smile the entire run. 

Note-this is by no means a call to encourage people to get out and rain in the rain. Please don’t. I want to be alone on the trails. 

My review of the Hoka One One Speedgoat

HOKA ONE ONE SPEEDGOAT

Earlier this year, Hoka One One, the French/US company released the Speedgoat. This shoe was co-designed by Karl Meltzer, one of the great US runners over the past decade. Meltzer has won dozens of 100 mile races in the US. His favorite shoe was the Hoka One One Rapa Nui. I too, am a fan of the Rapa Nui and have been looking forward to trying this shoe on my local trails of Mt. Diablo in Northern California.

Like the Rapa Nui, the Speedgoat does not have the huge midsole of the Stinson, Bondi and other Hoka One One shoes. Runners with poor form and who don’t have normal to high arches should not buy this shoe because it is not a stability shoe, although it is stiffer than the Rapa Nui. Some runners who supinate have stated in their reviews that the midsole was too soft on the outside of the foot resulting in a noticeable lean to the outside. For myself this wasn’t an issue. I would suspect that lighter runners would be less likely to experience this than heavier runners.  

There are two big differences between this shoe and the Rapa Nui. First, the toe box of the Speedgoat is noticeably narrower than the Rapa Nui. For myself, I liked not having my does slide around, especially when I was running through rock gardens. I normally wear a thick Drymax sock, but, for those runners who find the toebox narrow, I would recommend switching to the Drymax thin socks.

Second, the vibram sole has nobs that are huge. I loved the sole, going uphill with these was like having 4 wheel drive. The shoes gripped the loose sand stone on the trail which made for a much more efficient stride which of course equals more speed with less effort. But, it was on the downhills where I noticed a big difference between the Speedgoats and the Rapa Nui’s and Solomon shoes I used to wear. The sole gripped the rocks and loose sand stone soil and I was much more confident and was able to relax and run downhill much faster.

I give this shoe a grade of 4 and a half stars. I took off a half a star because the colors are a bit clownish. That said, I would recommend this shoe to most runners.  

Personal Commandments

Every once in a while, I like to make a list of things I like, would I like to do, places to see or in this case, what things I should be aware of on a daily basis. So, here they are.

1.There is no such thing as luck. Everything happens for a reason.

2. We all have our destiny, but we get to choose how we react to the events or the people we encounter during our lives.

3. Reincarnation? Yes

4. Acceptance equals happiness.

5. Desire equals suffering.

6. Nothing lasts forever.

7. Evolution does not equal decline. Even though you can't change chapters 1-5 of your life, chapter 6 can be enjoyed to its fullest because chapters 1-5 provide context to the present.

8. My personal goal is to make my life as simple as possible.

9. For myself, new experiences make me happy, not titles, money or fame.

10. Making someone else happy will make one a rich person.

So, what does this have to do with running?  Here are my thoughts.

1.There is no such thing as luck. Everything happens for a reason.
   
 On trail runs, I've tripped over roots or rocks and performed a not so graceful face plant. Bad luck?      No, fatigue resulted in my not lifting my feet high enough to clear the obstacle. It's not bad luck          that we encounter obstacles in our lives, obstacles are a part of life.


2. We all have our destiny, but we get to choose how we react to the events or the people we encounter during our lives.
   
After doing my fall on the trail, I chose how I reacted. The possibilities included staying on
the ground, getting up and using my bloody and sore leg as an alibi to slow down or to do
what I must to keep going. It's your choice.


3. Reincarnation? Yes

I am not so foolish to believe that my gifts for running began with my birth.
     

4. Acceptance equals happiness.

Every runner has lost a race, had a slow training run or been injured. Accepting these instances and finding joy in the pure act of running, the scenery or the people we are running is how we can accept a lost race or a slow training run. Acceptance of our injuries, both physical and emotional and enjoying the process of rehabilitation which is really another way of getting stronger by accepting our situation and getting happiness in the process.

5. Desire equals suffering.

Desire for ribbons or medals is in the end a cause of suffering. If you get that medal, soon, it will be in a box in your closet or your friends and competitors will stop praising you. If you don't get that medal, the desire for something you've "lost" will bring suffering for you and the people who care about you,

6. Nothing lasts forever.

As a high school runner, Jim Ryun ran a mile in less than 4 minutes. Later, he ran the mile in 3:51, setting a new world record. Very few people remember that record because its been replaced by another record. Even long term friendships or relationships do not last forever in the same state as they were in the beginning of that relationship. Its called evolution and enjoying each stage of your life or relationships is a key to happiness.

7. Evolution does not equal decline. Even though you can't change chapters 1-5 of your life, chapter 6 can be enjoyed to its fullest because chapters 1-5 provide context to the present.

Your child is no longer a cute toddler. Your child is an adult. Does that mean you should wish they had never grown up? Of course not. Accepting your child for who they are at this moment is a way to genuine happiness in your relationship with that child.

8. My personal goal is to make my life as simple as possible.

For me, this is my greatest challenge. Something I work on everyday. For others, it can mean not buying that 5th or 6th pair of their favorite running shoes for yourself. Maybe seek out someone who can't afford a new pair and get them some new shoes to run in.

9. For myself, new experiences make me happy, not titles, money or fame.

Seeing new places, trying new sports (learning to climb will be my birthday gift to myself in November) and meeting new people or seeing people I haven't seen in a long time are the things that make me happy.

10. Making someone else happy will make one a rich person.

Turning despair into hope, turning tears into a smile or listening to someone who has been ignored are true riches. Coaches do this all the time. Showing someone how to train, encouraging that runner when they are struggling through some intervals or when they don't see improvement in their racing results, Coaches do this on a daily basis. For non-coaches-pay the race fees for someone who can't afford it. Take that free shirt you get at the race and give it to one of the volunteers or better yet, a kid who might then be inspired to be a runner. That's a much better way to be rich than to have a big bank account.

Book Review-Surf is Where you Find It

SURF IS WHERE YOU FIND IT by Gerry Lopez

Published by Patagonia Books

One of the icons of surfing on the North Shore of Hawai’I, Bali and beyond in the 1970’s, Gerry Lopez has written an autobiography that will inspire millions of overworked Americans to put down the iphone and head to the beach. Film buffs might recall him as a co-star in Conan the Barbarian or his cameo in Big Wednesday.

Gerry grew up in Honolulu, Hawai’i, attending the illustrious high school, Punahou, prior to President Obama’s tenure there. Gerry’s parents are a journalist father of Spanish-German heritage, while his mother is Japanese-Hawaiian. To say he is an intelligent man with an ear for dialect, an eye for art and near genius level talent as a surfer would be an understatement.

In 1963, as a high school sophomore, Gerry surfed Pipeline, an incredible and often dangerous section of the North Shore. That would be akin to someone with a driver’s permit driving in the Indianapolis 500. Gerry has surfed with and has awed such big surfing names as Miki Dora, Laird Hamilton and Eddie Aikau.

Gerry’s book describes the surfing culture in Hawai’i from the early 1960’s through the 2000’s, noting the historical figures, epic rides and his own spiritual development. Like a long smooth ride on a longboard, Gerry’s book takes the reader to places and people that are worth knowing. Think of it as a volume of “talk story” that Hawaiians usually tell amongst themselves. So, my suggestion is to take off the work clothes, slip on some shorts and flip flops and read an epic book. You’ll be stoked!

Evolution of a Gooner Fan

Back in my youth, South San Francisco aka South City was full of soccer-kids, jr high and high school soccer was popular. It was taught in PE. And yet, it was like being in a cult-there was no soccer on tv, not even the World Cup, no magazines available locally and the newspapers had very little to offer. The only soccer news we could get was from the month old copies of World Soccer magazine that passed around and coveted. "Just who is this George Best guy anyway?" But, we played. Through school, some pick up games while in the Navy and on some club teams with my mates from Scotland on Sundays while in College. Then came the revolution.

At first, it was just PBS that would show games from Germany or England. Then ESPN was born and all of a sudden, you could watch English League games or even college games. So, I would watch and read the papers. During this time, when my daughters were young, I played defense for a team that consisted of Iranians and me. To say I got an education into Iranian culture is an understatement. Appearing as ordered for a 7:30 practice, I would run laps until 8:30 or 9 when the team would show up, the manager announcing that we had a game at 10. To say my wife, who was at home with two toddlers was not happy would also be an understatement. So ended my playing days on an organized team.

Fast forward to when one of my daughters was in London for University. She lived in North London and by default, became enamored with one Thiery Henry and thus became a casual Arsenal fan. Being a good daughter, she soon sent me some Arsenal Kit and my fandom of the Gunners was born. In the Bay Area I like to go to Maggie's Pub in North Beach to hang out with the Bay Area Gooners.

In New York, I go to the Blind Pig and watch the games with the same daughter who started all of this.

I am so blessed to be a Gooner!  

Into the breach comes Sebastian Coe

Just announced, Sebastian Coe will become the President of the IAAF, the ruling body for Track and Field athletes. His stated goal is to clean up our sport. I sincerely hope he is successful.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/20/sports/international/hard-climb-awaits-sebastian-coe-as-new-president-of-iaaf.html

My sport has always been running. Track, cross-country and more recently, trail running have been my passion since I was in the 5th grade. My first heroes were in fact runners-Jim Ryun-sub 4:00 miler in HIGH SCHOOL, Olympian and Congressman. I also admired and occasional communicate with Gerry Lindgren, the eccentric, but true "phenom" who beat the Russians as a high schooler and is one of the few Americans who beat Steve Prefontaine head to head. None of the above were ever accused of taking performance enhancing drugs.

As I got older and more educated, some would say more cynical, I was curious about the mysterious Lasse Viren and  Waldimar Cierpinski, winners of Olympic Gold medals and little else. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, documents discovered prove without a doubt that Cierpienski was using steroids, cheating Frank Shorter out of getting a 2nd Gold medal in the marathon, something he is still very bitter about.

Other scandals followed: Ben Johnson in the 1988 Games; Regina Jacobs after the 1996 Games; Marion Jones in the 2000 Games and the entire Chinese Distance Running team withdrawing from the 2000 Games for fear of being found to be EPO users. Yes, there are many others and its been a sad history of doping.

The result? Television rarely shows track and field in non-Olympic years for two reasons. First, its just not a popular sport for non-runners. The average American coach potato can't relate at all. Second, the networks and knowledgable viewers can't be sure that the winner of today's event won't be found to be a user a few weeks or months later.

Sebastian Coes mission is clear. Change the image of track from being a dirty sport to one where people can trust the results. How the 1980 Olympian does that will be as interesting as watching a duel between Jim Ryun and Marty Liquori was in the early 70's. Stay tuned track fans!

Why Tom Cruise should be a Trail Runner (if he isn't already)

Let's face it, it is a rare Tom Cruise movie where we don't see him sprinting away from danger or sprinting to jump on an airplane etc. There is even a website dedicated to showing Tom's runs. www.tomcruiserunning.tumblr.com

Still, I think Tom should become a trail runner in real life, here's why:

Privacy

Face it, we trail runners rarely run in crowds if it isn't a race. And, even in most races, you end up running large stretches by yourself. No photographers, no autographs to sign and only the animals-seen and unseen to watch you huff and puff up that steep hill.

Tom is genetically disposed to be a trail runner

For one thing, because of his being a wrestler in high school, his being a rock climber and his "ahem" short stature, Tom has great balance. Perfect for gliding up or down the technical trails. If he falls, he's less likely to be hurt because he knows how to fall.

There are trails everywhere, even in LA

There are well known trails and of course, there are the secret trails that only a select few know about. If Tom flashes his pearly whites at some folks at a running store, he's sure to get a private viewing of some choice single track.

Trail runners are very cool

We won't stare at you at the starting line. We won't laugh if you do a face plant. Hell, we'll probably help you up. And after the race, we'll hand you a beer and laugh about what happened. In short, Tom, we'll treat you like every other trail runner, a special group indeed.

So what do you say Tom, ready to lace em up?

Quick Update

Since my last post, I've had an x--ray and a MRI at my request after the MD's insisted what I had was just a badly sprained ankle. The x-ray found nothing while the MRI found that I had a cyst in the channel that lies between the bottom of the tibia and the actual ankle bone. The MD gave me a choice-take a cortisone shot which wasn't guaranteed to work or have surgery which would mean crutches for 2 weeks and another month in the "boot." I took the shot.

The MD said to take a week off. So, I took the time off, played some golf and then when it was time, took a test run. No pain during the run. The next day, I was worried that the pain would return as it had when I had tried to run the past 3 months. And wonder of wonders, no pain. So I am back to running. Most of the runs have been slow and easy. Today, I took off the training wheels and let it out a bit on a 10K run. Time was 48:00 which was 20 minutes slower than when I was in my 20's, BUT, it was still 7:45 mile pace.

The key now is to be smart and not rush into doing big mileage. But yes, I am indeed on the comeback trail.

In Drydock

Stuck in Drydock

Much like a ship that has been taken out of the water and placed in drydock for repairs, so has been my journey since the Way Too Cool 50K in March. During the last 5 miles of the race, going downhill was really painful. I knew something was wrong but what the heck, I’m a runner and kept going.

After not running the first week after the race, I tried a nice, easy and slow jog around my neighborhood. Well, one out of three was correct, it was slow. Very painful right ankle left me hobbling back to my house for some ice. Another week goes by and it’s a repeat of the first “run.” At the end of April, I had done a total of 3 short runs on a treadmill that left me in pain the next day.

Finally coming to my senses, I went to the Kaiser where they took an x-ray and happily informed me that the foot wasn’t broken but they didn’t know exactly what was wrong. Maybe a really major sprain caused by minor stupidity they laughingly said to me. They told me to take 6 weeks off, no running.

Which brings me to this point, in mid-June. In the past 4 weeks, I’ve played a lot of golf and done some weight lifting. I haven’t gained any weight. still, I can tell I am woefully out of shape and feeling slower by the day. As I drive home from work, I wistfully gaze at people jogging down the sidewalk, feeling as jealous as a Kardashian when she walks past a marble statue of a horse.

This is the week that I dust off the Hokas and see if I can start to reclaim what I’ve lost in the past two months. Wish me luck! 

Why I love golf

Admittedly, some of this is applicable to running, which is why I've included it in this blog.

IT REVEALS CHARACTER

One of the last things I did before being discharged from the Navy was to buy a set of Gary Player irons at the Exchange. Why? I'm still not sure. My Dad played, but my sport was always track and cross country. So off to college I went. One November Saturday, I decided I had to play golf. Never mind that I was in Eugene and it was pouring rain and 40 degrees outside, I just had to play. So off I went to the puny muni, plunked down 10 bucks and ignored the stares of the old guys in the pro shop looking at me like I had lost my mind. Out on the course, I was alone. Except for the sound of the rain hitting the trees and ponds, it was quiet. I loved it. I played a full 18 that day, often hitting 2-3 balls per hole. I played each shot as it lied and only counted my first hit on my score card. I loved that it was just me on the course. I could think and reflect. I liked that my performance was solely up to me, like running and there wasn't any favortism or politics that could affect the outcome. I liked that I obeyed the rules, as much as I knew them at the time even when no one was watching. I learned more about my young 23 year old self than a hundred therapy sessions would have revealed.

SHARED EXPERIENCES MAKE FOR TRUE FRIENDSHIPS

After my round, I came dripping back into the pro shop. The older gentlemen looked at me and asked me how my round went. When I said "it was great!" They nodded and smiled. They got it. Then they invited me to have a glass of whiskey to warm myself up. They were all veterans and once I told them I was recently discharged, they became my friends and one of them a true mentor. I understood then why my Father's golfing friends were so important to him and why he would do anything for them, no questions asked. I feel forever grateful that I have had a great and loyal friend named Kirk who is the first person I think of when I want to play golf and how over the years we've talked about raising our children, work and the passing of our parents while we played.

IT CAN CURE WHAT AILS YOU

I have seen with my own eyes, golfers going through nasty divorces that left them penniless and who would be taken out to the course by his friends. I've seen that this man, so miserable that he could only mumble "getting by" when his friends asked him how he was doing become happy and carefree for the 4-5 hours he was playing. I've seen these men be able to go on with their lives and not despair because they had golf and their friends. I've also seen people suffering from cancer who were able to forget the pain for a few hours by enjoying walking on grass, looking at wildlife and hitting the occasional good shot.

GOLF HAS BLESSED ME

I've never played Pebble Beach, the Olympic Club or any of the other notable courses in the Bay Area. I have played Pacific Grove and been stunned at the beauty of watching the sunset from the 17th tee. I've posed for photos with my friend on the 16th tee at Lincoln Park in San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. I've had memorable and wonderful conversations with my wife and 3 daughters on a golf course. I've sat in front of the tv at home all by myself, crying when Ben Crenshaw won the 1984 Masters. I am happy that the very last conversation I had with my Father before he died, was talking about our upcoming round at Pacific Grove. I remember my Father every time I play Pacific Grove, using his favorite phrase that he would yell at the tv when Arnie was playing. CHARGE!!! Golf is special, it is a blessing that all golfers treasure. that's why I love golf. 

2015 WAY TOO COOL 50K WAS……………………...

Was WAY TOO COOL!

PRE-RACE JITTERS

To say I was nervous going into this race would be a gross understatement.  I put my name in the lottery on a whim and was shocked when I got in, leaving me 2 months to train. Even then, due to some minor injuries, my mileage totals for leading up to the race peaked at 43 miles with 3 runs of 2 hours or more and none approaching 4 hours.  Plus, my right ankle has been sore since the Urbanathon I did in November. The good folks at Kaiser x-rayed it and said everything looked “normal.” So the confidence level approaching the race was pretty low.

This was to be only my second 50K and my only goals were to finish the race and beat my previous time of 7:05 hours at the Pacifica 50K in 2009.  What I planned to do was to eat early and often, to take S-tabs and to not go out so fast.

Here is what the starting looked like. I was tempted to ask someone to take my photo, but, managed to restrain myself.

THE RACE

The race starts on pavement going downhill and just like all the road races, there were plenty of people doing 7 minute miles who had no chance of winning.  Soon, we hit the trails and started on some nice smooth single track that wound through the foothills.  This section lasted 8 miles and included a couple of creek crossings, the second of which I just had to wade through.  I resisted the urge to pass people and kept to a steady 9 minute pace and relaxed.

The second stage took us from the Starting area and going north. More smooth single track and some double track and the occasional short section of fire road. By this time, I was chatting with a nice woman in her 30’s, Mia Martinez who was running her first 50K. It was very pleasant to chat away the miles on the middle section that ran along the American River. There were a few short steep sections that we had to walk, but still this section was fairly relaxed. After leaving the 3^rd Aid station, (mile 16.7) we started to climb some hard sections leading to the 4^th Aid station (mile 21) Now I was feeling some pain in the ankle, especially on the downhill sections. It was around this time that Mia dusted me and left me to hobble down the trails.

Strange, but, I was really looking forward to going up Goat Hill so I could have an excuse to walk! So walk I did, slowly, but, steady behind a long line of runners. Just as I got to the top of Goat Hill (mile 26), I felt a bit of a second wind.

FINISHING UP

The good folks at the top of Goat Hill said it was all downhill from there. THEY LIED!!  Plenty of hills to go and too many downhills for my gimpy ankle. Some serious pain by this time. Still, my eating, drinking and taking the S-tabs was working great. There was no bonking!! I’ve had worse 30K’s and marathons.

Here’s where this race earns it’s nickname of WAY TOO CRUEL!
Starting 1.4 miles from the finish, we were forced to climb a hellacious steep hill.

Stumbling down , the ankle was throbbing and the flat red clay fire road leading to the Finish was a welcome site! 

Total time-6:37:10,  I had my PR, didn’t bonk and didn’t let a sore ankle keep me from finishing.

MY REWARD

McFarland U.S.A. Review

Cross-country isn’t a popular sport in the United States, particularly at the High School level. Neither myself, or anyone I knew became a “big man on campus” because we could run a 2 mile race between 9 and 10 minutes. The only people I can remember seeing at the meets were coaches and some hardy parents, willing to stand around in the rain and cold at the start and finish lines. There were no cheerleaders. Running is a sport that I would reluctantly agree is closer to a cult than a big time sport like Football (both the American and World versions), basketball and baseball.

Ask anyone, running is painful. It’s not “fun.”  We trackmen used to laugh at football players and tell them that their sports punishment was our sport. Still, that was more to make ourselves feel better about the suffering we all endured. So, why would people be willing to spend their money on watching a movie about a bunch of high school kids running cross country?

Because whether or not people are willing to admit it, there are few things in the United States where the game isn’t rigged. Whether its Congress passing laws written by lobbyists for Corporations who will reap the benefits from that law to Haliburton making billions from the wars in Iraq and Afganistan and the blood spilled by our military, this is a corrupt nation.

Running is pure. It’s objective. It doesn’t matter where you live, what kind of clothes you wear, what your politics are or if you are popular. And it doesn’t matter if you are poor kid that picks produce from McFarland, California. What matters is what is the time on the clock. Fastest, wins. PERIOD. Growing up, I loved running because even though I wasn’t strong or popular, I had a chance to win.

As I see it, the magic of McFarland U.S.A. is that the makers of this film show non-runners the purity of being a runner. The film properly shows the suffering and the sacrifices runners go through in order to compete. It also shows the unbreakable bond that runners share who’ve been through the TRIAL OF MILES. It can’t be faked. There are no Cliff Notes or friendly counselors to help you get through the tough times. It’s just you facing your pain and overcoming it. The makers of this film do a fantastic job showing this side of running.

I only have two minor issues with this film. First, the animosity between the teams was something I never experienced as a high school runner. Whether there were racist comments made by the Palo Alto coach and his runners, I have no way of knowing. It may have been something put into the screenplay for dramatic effect. The second issue also deals with the Palo Alto team and that is the smug and racist coach for Palo Alto. I never met a coach like that in all my years of running. The people who’ve I met are coaching runners because they love the sport and they are often doing it with little or no pay.

Aside from these two minor issues, I loved this movie and found it inspiring. Kevin Costner did an able job of portraying a man swimming against the tide of despair. The other actors were authentic and believable. Best of all, it’s a true story. I believe that every runner or anyone thinking of becoming a runner should see this fine film. Well done Disney!    

The Salomon Skin Pro 3 Pack Review

For those trail runners who don’t like carrying water bottles and hate wearing a clunky, heavy pack, this pack is for you!

Salomon advertisements for this pack state that it’s “P.A.C.E. fit utilizes hard and soft elements for comfort, protection, and freedom of movement during intense races and workouts.”

What this means is that the body and shoulder straps are a very light nylon blend that doesn't pinch and stays on your shoulders, even if you have, like me, narrow shoulders.

The pack has an adjustable waist belt that is essentially a narrow elastic band that clips onto plastic rectangles on the left shoulder strap. At first, I was leery of this system. but after many runs on all kinds of terrain, I’ve discovered that the chest and waist straps are comfortable and stay put with little or no bouncing. .

On the front of the straps there are convenient pockets for energy gels, food or even a small hydration bottle. The water reservoir with a bit valve on/off system, much like a Camelback works very well. I had no leakage problems. For storage there are rear and side pockets which I used for my phone and jacket. There are also trekking pole-specific loops included as well as a  whistle included for added safety should you encounter a rabid raccoon. I have yet to fill this pack to capacity, even on all day runs where I changed from leggings and a jacket to shorts and a tee.

All in all, this is an outstanding pack for trail runners. I highly recommend it. 

Should runners be "Dazed and Confused?" The debate over runners smoking pot to improve performance

In the February 9, 2014, Wall Street Journal, http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-debate-over-running-while-high-1423500590?mod=e2fb writer Frederick Dreier interviews several runners to ask about their using pot during and after races.

Not surprisingly, the evidence of its positive effects are anecdotal at best. Yes, pot is helpful in battling nausea experienced by cancer patients and it does encourage eating. But does that translate to a better running performance? Pretty unlikely would be my opinion. As a runner in high school beginning in the fall of 1969 and graduating in the spring of 1974, smoking pot was very popular in my high school. Did I ? No-for the same reason that I didn't smoke cigarettes, I didn't want any smoke going into my lungs. I instinctively knew that bad lungs equals a slower runner.

But, whatever floats your boat, man.

A Manifesto for Runners

I refuse to surrender to the despair of the "voice" in my head who tells me to stop running fast because it hurts.
I refuse to conform to modern society that constantly tells us that easier is better.
I refuse to spend my life making money at the expense of my family and my health.
I refuse to stop running, ever.

I will fly on the trails, my feet nimble and connected to the Earth.
I will praise and encourage all who run, who by running, refuse to give up, to conform, to kneel
I will listen to the rhythmic breathing of my soul as I run and feel blessed to be alive
I will race, knowing that ignoring the "voice" that tells me to take it easy, to treat this race like a training run or that "it just wasn't my day" will mean that every day is MY DAY.

I will run, always.

Buddha was a long distance runner

"Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes."
Buddha