How I track my runs, and what I work on all day

I'm a software developer and a passionate runner. So when the opportunity came along to build a premier website for runners, I could not resist.

At the beginning of this year I started work on Athlete.com - a niche social running website. Since then we've developed a fantastic website where you can track your runs, share them with your friends, get moral support and look at helpful statistics about your runs. It has quickly become a product that I personally love to use.

In the past, I have generally preferred to run using my GPS watch (I have a Garmin). Periodically, I jump on over to Athlete.com and upload all my runs from my watch. Athlete.com also offers a mobile GPS app to track your runs. Over time, I have come to prefer this. My runs get uploaded to the site automatically and I can also see what my running friends are up to. It's nice to avoid carrying my phone, but I usually take it with me anyway for several reasons.

1. All my music is on my phone.
2. I need my phone for safety. Once on a really long run on a hot day in St George, I had to call my wife to rescue me.
3. I like people to be able to contact me, just in case.

Don't get me wrong, I still love my Garmin GPS watch, but it is rare that I don't have my phone with me anyway and it is really nice having the runs get uploaded immediately and automatically. So I've all but abandoned my GPS watch now.

The iPhone app is in the app store. It is called Athlete.com Running GPS. The Athlete.com Android App is getting very close to being ready and I'm very excited. You can get early access to it if you're interested (login to the site and look in the left column on your dashboard).

Overall it has become a product I'm very proud of and I'm very excited for what is coming next!

Adventure Running in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

What's the coolest job you can think of? For my brother-in-law, Greg Jensen, it is adventure running in Guatemala. He's run most of his life and he's dang good at it. And he absolutely loves Guatemala.

He and his wife spent two years there back in '94 and both learned to love the people and the beautiful scenery. For years they've wanted to go back.

One thing I find challenging about running long distances is that training is very time consuming. During the days I work at Backcountry.com. With any spare time, I'm either with my family or working on projects such as mobilizit.com. That leaves little time for running, so I really have to squeeze it in. When Saturday rolls around, I can go for a longer run, but if I'm gone all day, my wife has to be home with the kids and she loses her Saturday. I'm sure Greg had this same challenge.

So how do you find more time to run and also live in the place you love? You move there and start an adventure running company called Mayan Running Adventure. And that's exactly what Greg and family did. I didn't want to miss out on all the fun so I took 11 days to visit Greg and Family in their new home in Panajachel, Guatemala on the shores of Lake Atitlan. He took me on loads of trails that are part of his standard running adventure and we even discovered a few new trails together.


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Most of the trails around Lake Atitlan are not documented well in guide books. They aren't your typical trails that are made for recreational use. They are functional trails that numerous locals use to get to and from neighboring towns for work and various other purposes. I saw lots of locals out on these trails while I was there and I was seriously impressed. There were guys out there that walk these trails (and these are rigourous trails) for an hour to and from work every day and their work is rigorous too (working on coffee plantations, hauling dirt/cement/rocks to build houses/bridges, etc). And yet here we are running toward the end of the day and one of these guys is blasting up this super steep trail faster than I can manage. These guys are studs.

I want to take note of a few really cool things you get to do and see on this running adventure. One of my favorites was called Maya Face. It's only about a mile and a half from the bottom to the top so I thought we'd blast through it pretty quick. Well, during that mile and a half, you ascend probably close to a mile. This thing is steeeep. And what is so cool about it is that you get views the entire way up. The trail is maintained by the local city of San Juan. You are charged a nominal fee to use the trail which pays for the maintenance, but Mayan Running Adventure pays that for you. Anyway, when you get to the top, you have amazing 360 degree views including views of 5 volcanoes. That was just the beginning of the day. After that you get to see a few neighboring towns and eventually head back down a trail to San Juan. I don't know what to call this last trail, but it was another one of my favorites. Most of the way down is just tons of naturally placed rocks that are almost like a staircase. It's tricky enough to be a fun challenge, but I could still run large chunks of it. I just loved running and hopping over the rocks. And of course you get some awesome views all the way down as you wind your way down the steep mountain and through a coffee plantation with trees always above to protect the coffee plants.

Another one of my favorite runs was the trail from Santa Cruz to San Marcos on the north shore of the lake. This trail is wide open and full of views. Along the way, you pass several small, quiet towns. It is so fun to see the people. I found them to be very nice. I couldn't have enjoyed it so much on my own since I don't speak Spanish, but Greg speaks English and Spanish and so I was able to understand them and their culture a bit. This trail is one where you can really move fast through most parts as the trail's grade is generally mild. You pass a few rock staircases, hop over small streams and pass by several waterfalls (one of which I got in and it was very refreshing). The water is cool, but not so cold as to make you shiver. You also pass by a few really cool hotels along your way. These are the kind of hotels that you get to stay at during your adventure by the way. Your luggage gets moved for you between legs so you always arrive at your new hotel with all your stuff waiting for you.

If you want more details of where the adventure goes, check out the Adventure Details on their website.

How far can I go?

I was thinking about all the water, electrolyte supplements and quick energy food that I need on a run. It seems crazy. I don't see a problem with using these things, but I have a hunch that our bodies are designed to be tougher than that.

Let's say thousands of years ago some dude was being chased by a predator. Or they were the predator and were chasing down dinner. Either way, your life is depending on your ability to run. What if he forgot to fill up his CamelBack? What if he forgot his GU packets or Shot Blocks? I'm going to bet that he didn't have this stuff. Sure he probably had a way to carry some water, but maybe the situation caught him unprepared. All I'm saying is that reason tells me that when push comes to shove and you're relying on your legs to get you home or even save your life, they'll probably go farther and faster without water or supplements than you ever thought possible.

So I decided to test it. I went out on a hot day. I started a little on the dehydrated side and with an empty stomach. I brought nothing but the clothes on my back and I set out into the mountains to see how far I could go. It was about 80 degrees with occasional cloud cover, so I wasn't REALLY pushing the envelope here. Just a friendly experiment.

Immediately I was running with a different mindset. I was seeking out shade and trying to control my body temperature so I wouldn't lose all my water as sweat. I ran more slowly for that reason and also so that my metabolism would be able to keep pace with my need for energy.

After about 4 miles I started feeling pretty dried out and had cottonmouth, but it never really progressed beyond mild. At around 6 miles I started to get a side ache, which is weird for me. I don't get side aches. I figured this was due to dehydration and got a little worried, but alas it remained mild and then went away after about 10 minutes. I ended the run at around 11.5 miles (1 hour 43 minutes) without issue.

Conclusion: ya, our bodies can be pretty tough. I'm sure if it were REALLY life or death I could have gone much farther. Ya, baby. We were born to run. :)

What has TV done to us?

Netflix: $18/mo * 12 = $216/year
TV Equipment (ammortized): $300/year
Hours watching: ~1 hrs/day = 365 hrs/year

If I didn't watch any TV, what else could I do with the $516? Well, not too much. I guess that's not too bad. But 365 hours? That's 9 weeks of 8 hours per day! I don't regret all of that time. A good movie is a great way to unwind from the day. But it's still a shocking number. What could you do with 365 hours? How much time do you spend watching TV?

Better Winter Training

I'm long due to hit the slopes. I've been neglecting them. I've done lots of alpine skiing in the past. But lately I'm getting excited about Alpine/Touring skiing. What a fantastic way to stay in shape during the Winter!

I don't know much about A/T skiing, but fortunately I work at Backcountry.com. I found lots of people willing to help (thanks Walt, Mark, Robby). So, here's what I've decided. I want to go with the Dynafit setup. I am told that Dynafit compatible boots will work with any A/T or alpine setup so that's a great benefit.

Next lesson: boots are the most important part of your setup. If you are going to spend money somewhere, spend it on nice boots. And it's not necessarily the price that makes them good. You just need to go try them on. I am going to visit the nearby Black Diamond store here in SLC and have them fit me, per Robby's recommendation. He says the folks over there are fantastic.

To get minimally started, I will also need some bindings and skis. I'm very interested right now in the Zealots and the Dynafit TLT Vertical ST Alpine Touring Bindings. See my A/T wishlist on Backcountry.com. However, I can demo some of this stuff for free, so I'm just going to get boots for now so I can try some stuff out.

It's a little lame I'm waiting until the season's almost over to get going on this. Oh well. This is going to be a blast!

Run/Hike Kings Peak?

I've been thinking that it would be a ton of run to do a two day running expedition with minimal supplies. One of the places that sounds fun to do this is King's Peak. This may be naive of me. I really don't know what King's Peak is like. So I'm going to do a bit of research and document it here.

Notes

1. Jupiter Steeplechase is 3000 ft elevation gain over about 8 miles (375 ft/mile)
2. King's Peak (the Henry's Fork route) is about 4100 ft elevation gain over about 16 miles (257 ft/mile)
3. The above two assume no elevation loss on the way up, even though that's surely false. You get the idea...
4. Cold up at the top. Could even have some snow.
5. Need to look into altitude sickness, just to be sure. Sounds like the peak is high enough for it to be a concern.
6. Super busy during July-August
7. upper parts of the trail are usually covered with snow from mid-November until mid-July. The most pleasant time for the climb is late August, when the days are still relatively long but the meadows have dried out and the mosquitoes have abated
8. From greatoutdoors.com: "Sudden storms with violent lightening can brew up at any time (as noted in the story), so be prepared. Snow is possible all months of the year, though least likely in August. The evenings are very cool throughout the hiking season. Wild flowers begin their show in late July and are quite spectacular."

Articles & links for reference

1. Map
2. Here is a good article describing hiking King's Peak from the North.
3. Peakbragger info on King's Peak
4. Summit Post info on King's Peak
5. Wikipedia on King's Peak
6. Travel journal of hiking King's Peak
7. Interesting background on the Uinta Mountains
8. Matt Heart running King's Peak and some more vids of the same.
9. Dave and Ab hike King's Peak and talk with someone who ran it
10. General info on the Henry's Fork approach to King's Peak
11. Excerpts from "Utah's Incredible Backcountry Trails" about King's Peak
12. Crazy dude that did King's Peak in snowshoes in one day
13. Cool blister treatment stuff
14. This guy ran/hiked King's Peak in October 2010. Took him about 4 hours up, 3 down. He said he hit snow at around Gunsight Pass. He wore what warn-looking tights, looks like layered long-sleeve shirt, but no jacket, nice warm gloves. Probably there was more gear not in the pics, but that gives you a rough idea of the temp.
15. Greatoutdoors.com - King's Peak Lives Up to it's Name
16. Trip repot from some guys I know

Notes from talking to my Aunt Linda & Uncle Blaine

1. aug 15
2. elk horn crossing washed out - rebuilt, should be okay now
3. henry's fork
4. 3 hr drive from slc, through evanston
5. weather more important than crowds
6. usually astormy during hike all year
7. watch out for lightning
8. water? - filter or iodine pills. will need to filter it (sheep/horses/people, etc)
9. pack light? - 30-35 lbs. need extra clothes, gloves, hat, raingear
10. they did 3 days
11. saturdays are the crazy days. best if you can avoid sat. friday too. maybe start on saturday and go through sunday?
12. not a lot of vertical first 10-12 miles
13. once you go from about 10-11, then there is a lot of vert
14. lots of false summits (5?)
15. everything takes a little longer than you would think
16. class two after anderson pass (the rocky part)
17. want to have a light shell pant. wear tights/shorts? then put on shell if needed.
18. everwhere they ever backpack, it always rains. if stuff gets wet, it gets very cold. be prepared.
19. freeze dried dinner. granola, power bars, beef jerkey, etc. tuna packets. salmon packets.
20. trail isn't all that well marked.
21. stay away from dollar lake area. beautiful, but crowded and trashed. toilet bowl.
22. altitude: they never had a problem. worry more about it if you are ascending fast. eat and stay hydrated. gu and stuff.

Winter Training

Thump, thump, thump.... it is difficult to keep my strike light at this pace. The Black Eyed Peas are keeping me motivated. I've got 1.4 miles behind me. I'm thinking I'll stop at 3 miles. Not feeling too great tonight.

Thump, thump, thump. I'm getting heavy footed again. I turn down my headphones and I can hear that I'm making a good deal of noise. I wonder if it's bugging the people around me. I shorten my stride a bit, focus hard on my strike and, above all else, try to find that feeling of smoothness.

There's a basketball game going on one level below me. I'm observing as I run. The players are diverse. You could be pretty certain they don't hang out off the court. There's one guy that keeps shooting three-pointers and missing. Even when he has the chance to take a couple steps closer to the hoop, he instead steps back to the line to take the shot. Whatever, they're just having fun.

Dang, a slow song. I need some motivation. Dynamite is next. Now I'm feeling it. I bump up the pace a bit. Then some more. I'm getting close to 3 miles. I'm definitely going to make my goal time... Okay, all done. Short, but good. Oh man, I can't wait for warm weather. I'm really missing the warm sun out on the trail. Until then. Thump, thump, thump.

Sneak Peek at the new Merrell Barefoot Shoe

I work at Backcountry.com. We get passes to go to the Outdoor Retailers show and I didn't go! Shame on me! My friend Nate, who did go, picked up a sweet pair of the new Merrell Barefoot shoe. Check it out on Merrell's Blog and their preview promo.

I haven't run in these, but I did get to look at them in person and they are sick! I want them sooo bad. They have a nice, durable Vibram sole. The sole is very thin. It reminds me very much of the Five Fingers, but with more tread (still not thick, but better traction). They also don't have toes like the Five Fingers. I welcome this because my toes don't conform well to the Five Finger shape. I guess my feet are weird.

I'm super excited to get a pair of these and give them a try. Hopefully that will be soon.

Give thanks for your Achilles tendon

Here is an illustration of the Achilles tendon in case you don't know what it is. This tendon is awesome and we are lucky to have it.

What purpose does the Achilles tendon serve?

The purpose of the Achilles tendon is to help you run efficiently. It is incredibly strong and elastic. Each time you take a step, some of the energy from your fall is used to stretch this tendon, thereby storing the energy and using it to fuel your next step. Animals that don't run don't have this tendon. Our genetic cousins, apes, do not have this tendon.

Humans are terrible at running? So why do we have this tendon that is made for running?

Humans are terrible at sprinting, not running. We are fantastic at running long distances. Be proud of your species. We are great long distance runners!

Snow Canyon Half Marathon

This weekend my wife and I visited my parents in St. George, UT to run the Snow Canyon Half Marathon and 5K. My Dad and I ran the half marathon. It's the first half marathon that either of us has run in years (except for the Jupiter Steeplechase I ran earlier this year).

The course is very pretty. It follows the St. George Marathon course for the first four miles and then splits off to go down Snow Canyon. It is downhill the entire way except for a few tiny rolling hills. It's a bit steep from about mile 2.5 to mile 6, but other than that, it's not too steep. Your knees should be okay.

I heard that this course has some gravel areas so I was planning on wearing shoes, but when driving the course the night before we discovered that it is 100% pavement. So I decided that this would be my first official race to run barefoot. It went well...mostly. For about the last mile, the pavement got really rough with very large aggregate. By this time in the race, my feet were doing well, but certainly not fresh and could not handle the rough pavement. I quickly got some large blisters on my left foot. I could literally feel them expanding within a few minutes. One was on the ball of my foot and was taking a real pounding. It soon burst sending a mist out between two of my toes that I could feel halfway up my shin. Finally I was able to get some relief by running on the sidewalk, but as we neared the finish there were spectators on the sidewalk so I had to return to the pavement. Was it worth it? Totally, but only because if was my first barefoot race. I've never had a barefoot run be that painful and I don't really seek out pain.

My Dad held pace with me for about the first 6.5 miles which was much faster than he had planned. He pulled through all the way and finished at around 2:09. He had some really tight muscles and pains toward the end, but he's got a lot of miles under his belt and knew what he could handle. I came in at 1:44-ish, just behind my Dad's PR. My wife also ran the 5K. She had a baby girl only a few months ago and was pushing a double stroller (a B.O.B. -- they're the best if you're wondering). She ran 9:55's. My Mom also ran and claimed 3rd place in her age category.

This was our first year running and it was totally fun, not too expensive, very well organized and very pretty. The results were ready and announced faster than any race I've done before. It's also an extremely fast race if you're looking to set a PR.

Follow up on 2010 Jupiter Peak Steeple Chase

Yesterday was the 2010 Jupiter Peak Steeple Chase and it was a blast. I finished injury free and enjoyed it thoroughly. I had no idea what my time would be so that wasn't a big deal to me. I just wanted to finish injury free and have fun. Here are some pictures from the race.

Here is my best shot of the starting line, although nobody is actually lined up yet. We started about 50 feet or so up this dirt road. In this race it is important that you find the right spot in the pack near the start because it becomes difficult to pass once you hit the singletrack. About a minute before the start of the race I realized I had forgotten my inhaler. I had to run to my car and I got back to the start about 30 seconds too late. So I had to do a lot of passing in the first 4 miles or so to find people that were at my pace.

At the beginning of the race I recognized a few friends from Pinebrook, the neighborhood in Park City where I grew up. Pictured above is Mike Rasmussen from this group.

Here we are approaching Jupiter Peak, the first of two peaks to be summited during the race.

Jupiter was by far the more strenuous to climb. I found myself crawling up parts of it, mostly because my legs needed some help. In this photo I think you can get a pretty good idea for how steep it was.

At the summit of Jupiter Peak.

There is a pole at the peak.

Here I am with Rob Hanel at the finish. We both had a lot of fun and were in good spirits. Rob orchestrates a lot of adventurous events that Backcountry.com pays for employees to participate in. He's pretty fast and I was very happy to finish close behind him. Backcountry.com was a sponsor for the Jupiter Peak Steeple Chase this year and because of that I got to run for free. What a great deal!

Jupiter Peak Steeplechase

For a couple years, I have been anxious to run a race in Park City, UT called the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase. The race is put on by the Mountain Trails Foundation. It is a 16 mile run from the base of Park City Mountain Resort to Jupiter Peak, the highest peak at the resort. This involves around 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

Two years ago I couldn't run it because I was injured. Last year I couldn't run it because I was injured. Last year I got sick of being injured and decided to do something about it. Most notably, I started barefoot running, but I have made other changes too. I listen to my body a lot more when I run. I am more disciplined about cutting a run short if something doesn't feel right. I have been much more consistent about running and have avoided overtraining. I even started eating a lot healthier.

This year it has all paid off. I wasn't even planning on running this race this year until my employer, Backcountry.com, offered to pay my way. Yay Backcountry.com! Because of my efforts, and perhaps good luck, I found myself ready to run the race and able to accept Backcountry.com's offer. I am very excited.

Midnight Running

I've been reading a book called Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes. It's basically an autobiography about a guy that runs insane mileage, why he does it, how he does it and how it fits into the story of his life. Personally, I think the guy is a nut. I don't think I run the way he runs. He runs for pain and I run for pleasure. However, as I read the book, I find some undeniable similarities in the way we think.

Dean runs a lot at night, or at least he does in the part of the book I am currently reading. It sounds like a fantastic time to run. There is no sun beating on you and that makes a big difference in the middle of summer. So, on Saturday evening, I was in the mood for a run and decided to give it a try. I headed out at around 11:30 and ran for about an hour.

It was cooler than running at mid-day, but I still got quite warm. I have avoided the heat just as well by running early in the morning on shady trails. But it was still pretty fun. I ran across a couple that was smooching as they said goodbye. I think they were a bit surprised by some dude running by and interrupting their moment.

Single Track Above Woods Cross

I planned to get up at 7 this morning for a nice cool run. Going to bed late last night was a bit at odds with that and Ella, my two year old, got up way too early and needed some snuggles.

So I got a late start, but it turned out just fine. A few times I have headed up into the hills directly east of 2600 South in Woods Cross. It is about a 14 mile run if I turn around at the beginning of the single track, so I have never ventured up past that.

Today I drove to the beginning of the singletrack so that I could really check it out. It was gorgeous and well shaded from the sun, which was high at this point. I snapped a few pics, but it was hard to do it justice.

I realized today just how rocky these Rocky Mountains can be. I wore my Vibram Five Fingers today and the terrain just about did my feet in. Next time I visit this trail I'll be sporting some "normal" running shoes.

Good Gift for a Runner

You'll almost always see me wearing a white hat when I run. The first or second year I ran the Wasatch Back, Backcountry.com (my employer who sponsored our teams) got us white Montrail running hats. I don't know how I ever lived without this thing. It keeps me cool, helps prevent sun burns and helps keep the sweat out of my eyes. I have a dark green one just like it and it is horrible. You need a very light colored one because it makes a big difference with the heat.

So, if you're looking for a gift for a runner, or if you're looking to buy something for yourself, get one of these.

Old Ranch Loop

Went for a fast pace run today to see what I could do. I ran the Old Ranch Loop (7.32 miles) in 52 mins for a pace of 7:10 per mile. For a flat road run, that loop is very pretty. That was pushing it for me, but felt good.

Some Interesting Barefoot Resources

I just wanted to share a few websites I've found when poking around the web learning more about barefoot running.

• therunningbarefoot.com - A great resource. There's a huge community here to teach you mostly everything about barefoot running. Some of the articles/comments are a bit over the top in my opinion, so just be prepared to take some of it with a grain of salt.
• Barefoot Ted's Adventures - Ted was one of the people that went down to run with the Raramuri Indians in Christopher McDougall's "Born to Run." He seems to me a bit overly interested in turning a dime on the whole barefoot running thing, but still has lots of good stuff to say.
• www.runningbarefootisbad.com - You've got to read both sides of the issue. Based on my personal experiences, I think there's significant merit to the barefoot running movement. But I realize that I could be wrong. I recommend keeping an open mind all the time.

Also, here's a cool vid about the Raramuri Indians.

Bear Hollow Run

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I just couldn't resist a run today. After a few hours in front of the computer and the sky looking so blue outside, I just had to get some fresh air.

I went barefoot today and this is one of the more difficult runs I've done barefoot given the temperature of the pavement and the grade of road. I'm very happy to report that it felt great and I don't have any blisters. For me the biggest limitation to how far I can run barefoot is blisters.

When I first started running barefoot, I'd get blisters and I assumed that it was because I needed to build up my calluses. However I read on a blog (sorry, I can't find the link right now) that you shouldn't be building up huge calluses and that if you are it probably just means your form is bad. I try pretty hard with my form and I still can only go 4-6 miles, depending on terrain, so I'm not sure what to think. But I am getting better, whether it's due to calluses or better form.

Parrish Creek Trail & Bonneville Shorline Trail

My Dad told me there was going to be a lunar eclipse this morning so I thought it would be really fun to go for an early run and watch it. Unfortunately, I couldn't see it, perhaps because I got up too late or maybe it was just behind a cloud. It ended up being great because it motivated me to get up early and have a great run.

I decided to check out the Parrish Creek Trail in Centerville, UT. You can check out this and other trails in the area at the Davis County website. This is a nice area of trails because there's about a dozen trails that are all connected by the Bonneville Shorline Trail. So you can head up there, connect into the trail system and explore all you want.

I was well up the mountain as the sun crested the ridge which created some pretty colors. It also permitted me a good deal of much appreciated shade.

My intent was to run about 10 miles this morning and boy was it a tough 10 miles. This was my first time running these trails and the Parrish Creek Trail was a LOT more steep than I expected. It was more of a hike than a run. But it was beautiful and I'm not racing so that's just fine.

At about 2 miles up it has some intermittent flats and downhills so you can cruise a bit which feels good. I ended up running into the largest colony of caterpillars I've ever seen. I think they were caterpillars. They looked kind of strange and they were hanging from trees. Up in the trees you could see these huge web looking things. I'm guessing this is where they were coming from. There were so many of them suspended from these, hanging in the middle of the trail that eventually I just couldn't stand running through them anymore and I turned around.

On my way down I stopped at a lookout point over the creek. The trail is maybe a couple hundred feet above the creek, looking down from above so you get a pretty good view. I was in the shade, but the sun was shining below, making it easy to see hundreds of dragonflies swarming all around. Maybe I just don't get out much, but I've never seen more than a few of these at once. It was very pretty and it did my heart good to know that they were probably devouring mosquitoes!

Once I got to the bottom I ran along the shorline trail for a bit to pick up some more miles. This trail has some rolling hills, but is fairly mild. It was a perfect way to end the run. I'm looking forward to exploring some more trails in that area.

Mid Mountain Marathon

Utah is a fantastic place to live. There's only so many places where you can put together a 26.2 mile race on mountain trails. That's what the Mid Mountain Marathon is. I'm not sure if it will be this year or next, but that's the next goal.