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.