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Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 5:03 PM
Subject: Incline Club V5 LR #17
I for one found the trip up Rampart Range Road interesting last weekend! With the weather as it was (fog, snow etc.) it was strange to be on a run where I knew there was miles and miles of views in every direction and yet I could only see a few hundred feet. Really put me into the moment and it made for a great run. It was also neat to get to see so many ICers during the run since it was an out/back instead of one of our normal loops.
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Sunday, March 19, 8 a.m. meet at Soda Springs Park.
Run out the Ute Pass Trail and turn right and then cross Hwy 24 and do the
Waldo Canyon lollipop loop clockwise. Cross back over Hwy 24 (be careful)
then go straight and head up Longs Ranch Road. Go straight at the “J” pipe
to the top of Incline and down Barr Trail to finish the run. Run down the
Barr Trail to finish the loop. 2.5-3.5 hours. If it would take longer just
do the Waldo loop clockwise because it has less ice than the Barr Trail.
####
Matt V writes:
What an excellent article by Tony E. The ever increasing scholarly
content of the incline club mailings has left me... well... breathless. I
am looking forward to the return of the Thursday night incline club
workouts. The nature of my job last year pretty much kept me from training
more than a couple days per week. I am in a new job now, and I have been
able to make time to run or bike six days a week for the last three weeks.
Which is a record for me. I plan to keep this “modified streak” going.
(Matt C adds: The IC Thursday night specials are getting very near. They start on the first Thursday after the switch to daylight savings time. I think that means April 5 this year!!!)
####
Bonnie M writes:
Info for Rick P.
Ahhh, running with a cast. My experience was last summer and after several
weeks of long hot runs, I did notice that perhaps a small varmit had
crawled in the cast and died. What worked for me was a product called “Febreeze.” Just spray/squirt this stuff in there and instead of it
smelling like a dead varmit, it will smell like a dead varmit wearing
perfume. Best of luck.
####
Richard B writes:
This was the kind of run that separates
the IC’ers from the wannabes! With the
blowing snow/sleet I almost felt like I was
downhill skiing except for the small fact that
I was going uphill. I was not able to see the
nasty potholes until I stepped in them and
they gave my ankles a thorough workout.
I got up extra early today to take my time on the roads from Aurora to Manitou Springs and my brain came up with this at 4:30 am:
The roads are snow-covered the side streets with ice, having a die hard group waiting made the run rather nice.
Until next week!
####
Fred W writes:
I was most definitely last back out of those that went to the range, or
beyond, Sunday. There was only one car left in the parking lot. However, in
my own defense, I believe I may have set a Club record in the process -
three pit stops! Two on the outward leg (one even before entering G. of the
G.) — one on the return leg. And it was COLD, I had serious concerns for
more than my exposed finger tips!! But hey! That’s what makes us tough, eh?
Still, it was fun — and I didn’t get shot!
(Matt C adds: Nice try on the pit stop record but if memory serves there have been a few with a “running problem” that put them into double digits)
####
Lonnie F writes:
I found the Ute Indian Trail. Wow! What an incline for the first part of it.
Its a tough trail. I jogged from Iron Springs to the Ute trail, then turned
right went down into Manitou and jogged back up to Iron Springs. About a 40
minute run. It was a nice run this morning w kind of a combo of hard work up
the trail and easy down into Manitou with moderate going up Ruxton to the
truck. The one thing I learned is that the Ute trail will make one
appreciate what they ‘use’ to think was hard. When I got back to jogging up
Ruxton I was happy although I use to consider that very difficult. anyway,
thanks for the information. I’ll be at the next long run. All this running is really helping get me back into shape.
####
Steve S writes:
For Tim E:
No matter where you run in Jerusalem.....keep your head down and Kevlar vest
handy as you run between one faction and another. Definitely a good place
for speed work.
-----
Randy L writes:
Tim E. asks, “Do you know if there are good places to run in Jerusalem?” Hey, I’ll bet you could get a great workout over by the Wailing Wall. Just
yell a few obscenities in an appropriate language, and you’ll probably “invite” an entire workout group. Might get anaerobic though.
----
Timothy E writes:
I’ve learned the hotel is on the Mediterranean, a very beautiful place with
miles of choice running! I will miss running with you and will be anxious to
get together upon my return.
####
And now, Incline Club boys and girls and every thing, it’s once again time
for “Ask Doctor Rocket,” where each week we feature a perplexing running
related question that requires rocket science to answer. Ask Doctor Rocket
(he’s got a PhD... in Rocket Science).
Dear Dr. (Fila Screwsinski, MD, PhD, MS, BS, OBGYN, IOU, TCBY, CO 30132 Screw Therapist/Aerospace Cheese Grater Engineer Harvard School of Sheet Metal Screw Physics) Rocket,
Given reports of the recent earthquakes in the North West I understand that the earth’s plates are in a state of continual shifting. As a result our own mountains and beloved Incline training grounds are constantly growing ever higher. (I thought that first hill going out on UTE Sunday seemed even steeper!) How then should we Incliners modify our training to keep one step up on ‘ol Mother Nature, my treadmill only goes to an incline max of 15 degrees?
Signed,
Mr. Rubble
Dear Mr. Rubble,
May I call you Barney? Thank you for your earth shattering question.
Before we get our hands dirty though, I would like to first thank all of the IC members who have taken the time to write to me with their important questions. I also want to thank all of you who thoughtfully contemplate the rocket wisdom presented here each week, and dwell on the technical data poured forth from this babbling fountain of rocket knowledge, and who strive to incorporate these universal rocket laws into your everyday training regimen. I do this because you need BIG help, and you definitely have way too much time on your hands. The economy is good though, or we are told, and so this is an excellent opportunity for you to find a real job to occupy your time.
OK Barney, so now that you know Dr. Rocket’s pseudo-pseudonym (Dr. Fila...), I would like to ask you to please keep this poorly kept secret under your space helmet, as I am attempting to remain anomalous. The reason for this odd request is that Illegal Aliens from Planet Gu-major are attempting to abduct me and tap into my brain to gain access to all of my rocket science type knowledge, in particular, the plans to the “AstroCast” (patent pending) cheese grater technology that I have developed exclusively for the IC and their family members with broken limbs. The aliens still use those old plaster casts that melt to Gu in your hands (they allegedly eat the stuff if they feel their energy waning). Wouldn’t they just love to get their little grimy broken paws on my sheet metal screw secrets. So, shhhhhhh... be vewwwy qwiet. I thought I saw one of them on one of the IC runs a week or two ago disguised as a mountain lion. I think it was stalking Richard B.
But enough about my problems. Let’s talk about yours, after all, isn’t that why we’re both wasting our time writing and reading this crap? So you have a concern about this little earth shaking thing? Don’t be troubled Mr. Rubble, you came to the right pseudo-pseudonym. Dr. Rocket just happens to have some expertise in the Earth Sciences from way back, this circa the early 1970’s when he studied the mechanics of dirt at the Low Country Fence Institute, located in the academic Mecca of Ladson, South Carolina. This ground-breaking work included hands-on research that resulted in a dissertation entitled “The Impact of Boundary Interface Vertical Stability Entrenchment Constraints on Low Country Sediments.”
The earthquake you are alluding to occurred in Washington State, and is also referred to as the “Nisqually Earthquake” which takes its name from the local northwestern Nisqually Indian tribe renowned for their recent foray into the boutique gambling and coffee shop trend, offering new and exciting coffee flavors such as salmon and beaver. This particular quake occurred on Wednesday, February 28, 2001 at 10:54 AM PST, and had a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale at it’s epicenter. This time just so happens to coincide precisely with a time 10 days 1 hour 33 seconds earlier in which Dr. Rocket slipped on some ice while running on Ute Pass Trail and went down on his butt. Coincidence, or aftershock? The data are still being tampered with.
To understand the details of the cause of earthquakes requires a PhD in Geophysics, or glibly put, it’s Rock Science. But the fundamentals are so easy to understand, even a rocket scientist can explain them. The interior of the earth is not solid, but consists of a molten mass of oatmeal (grits if you’re from the south) that has collected over the years from young boys and girls dumping it out the kitchen window when mommy wasn’t looking. This “stuff” cools near the surface, and forms a hard shell, or crust that we call granola (hush puppies if you’re from the south). This hard surface crust breaks into somewhat structurally cohesive areas the size of continents known as “tectonic plates.” These plates float around the Earth, smashing together (convergence), pulling apart (divergence), lapping over/under each other (subduction; if it occurs on a planet other than earth, it’s known as alien subduction) in an orgy of earthy frivolity, not unlike the effect you would get if you tried washing your dishes in the washing machine (and boy would Mother Nature be pissed). The Pacific Northwest marks a part of the boundary between two of these plates, the Pacific China Plate, and the North American Blue Plate Special. The Rocky Mountains, though some distance away from the boundary, are a direct consequence of this plate collision. The pushing and shoving that results in mountain uplift is not unlike that encountered while waiting for the start of, say, the New York City Marathon — extreme internal compression stresses. At some point, the stresses relieve themselves in an explosive release of force, violently shaking the earth at key stress points and disrupting populations for miles around, with the exception of the Kenyans who have long since finished the marathon, showered, and driven off in the safety of their new Mercedes Benz’s.
The relative horizontal motions of these plates is very slow, on the order of centimeters per year. If you were to run at this pace, it would take you over 2 million years to complete the Pikes Peak Marathon. Even the AddAMan/Woman/Thing Club (collectively) is faster than that. The vertical growth of the Peak is equally slow. But, heck, the Rockies are only 58-66 million years old, and so the Peak is still a growing boy. So do you need to worry about this? No, but you can if you want to. I would worry more about the immediate effects of a local earthquake occurring while out running, as they are prone to happen in the region as our mountain grows.
The best way to prepare? You can get yourself in shape for the “BIG ONE” by following these specially developed earthquake preparation exercises: hop onto your treadmill, turn it up as fast as it will go, and then abruptly stop running. This is an excellent simulation of transverse wave motion that often accompanies earthquakes at the surface. [WARNING: Do not try this when not wearing a Pocket Rocket Protector. You can pick this protective apparatus up at any of your local rocket scientist supply stores. Prices range from really expensive to astronomical — about the cost of a Triple Crown race entry].
So Barney, I don’t think that you need to worry about increasing inclinations at the slow rate of mountain growth that has been observed. Your sensation of a steepened Ute Pass Trail can probably be explained by the likelihood that you were actually running up the Incline, not Ute. Don’t worry though, we will not turn you in for it this time, just don’t do it again (wink, wink). But if you’re still concerned about the steeper inclination and wish to train for this, you can haul your treadmill up Longs Ranch Road to one of those really steep parts, add the 15 degrees your machine can already do and, let’s see, if my calculations are correct, that should give you a total of about 89 degrees of inclination.
In summary, I don’t think the tectonic risks in this area should be of any real concern, especially when there are more serious environmental hazards out there such as...
MUTANT SPACE FUNGUS
In an item recently printed in a news paper that shall remain anomalous, Russian space scientist Yuri Rashbushnik warned reporters that a mutant space fungi clinging to the surfaces of the space station Mir could survive its planned re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere later this month. The fungus is believed to be the result of too many promiscuous dockings with the space shuttle. Rashbushnik, who is an expert on vehicular transmitted diseases, said there was a possibility that the microorganisms, which have been mutating in isolation on the aging spacecraft for the past 15 years, could pose a threat if they make it through the atmosphere. The International Olympic Committee has frequently voiced concerns that the microorganisms might result in unfair performance enhancing effects for competitors who live in the neighborhood of where the station is predicted to re-enter. The Mir space station’s fiery descent would put it into a water grave somewhere between New Zealand and Chile, but at least 40 tons of the debris are expected to make it to earth. This is, approximately, right on top of the South Pacific Island of Thonga-Thonga. Can’t you just picture it, at a little crack-in-the-wall restaurant somewhere on the island...
Waiter: And sir, what will you be having for dinner this evening?
Diner: Ahhhh, yes.... I think l will be having the Fettuccini al Fungi.
Waiter: We’ll have that for you right away.
Mir: KERSPLAT!!!!
Anyway, don’t be surprised if the Thongalese sweep the medals in the next summer Olympics.
Gotta run. I think something’s following me.
Regardless,
Dr. Rocket
Go out hard, when it hurts blast off.
####
“R” reports:
Chaig H reports:
Napa Valley Trip Report
Hmmm...In a word...WET! Lots of great things about this run, but the weather this Sunday was not one of them. Out of 24 marathons...the worst weather by far. It rained the entire way, but at least we had a 20 mile an hour headwind bearing down on us most of the way. Oh...and we had the cold going for us too. It started off great...that is to say the pasta dinner the night before. It was the BEST pre-race pasta event I ever experienced. Great (almost gourmet) eats along with wine (of course) and some really great speakers that night. (Dick Beardsley, Joe Henderson, and some English guy who ran a sub 3:00 marathon on only his second attempt. At age 61! And he sang a little Pavarotti for us.) Rich Benyo (race director) did a great job at putting it all together.
The course was decent, but I swear they must pick and chose their data points when they create their elevation chart, because it sure feels like I ran a lot of hills that I didn’t see on their chart. I was anxious to see how I’d run since my PR attempt was just 14 days prior. However a knee twitch at mile 3 turned into a show-stopper by mile 20. I had two choices...DNF or go over 4 hours. I chose the lesser of two blemishes and did my best Quasimoto impression and dragged my right leg for the last six miles to turn in a very sad 4:11. But I’m beginning to cope with it now. Three down...nine to go. With CA, TX, and FL already behind me, I thinking I’m on track to win a majority in the electoral college if nothing else. Boston next month and a six week break! Details below.
Napa Valley Marathon — 4 Mar 01
Entry Fee — $60
Course — Net 300 foot drop, but fairly hilly along the way. Very scenic and
probably even more so with a little sunshine.
Goodie Bag — Average contents, but the bag itself was pretty hi-speed.
Expo — Not held this year due to Marriott renovations.
Medal — Sorta gay. (but given it’s locale...sorta expected??)
T-Shirt — Sorta like the medal. But long-sleeve gay.
Crowds — A rare sight, but given the weather, anyone who should up along the
way was much appreciated. Great volunteers.
Start temp — Cold, wet and windy. But then it got worse. :)
Overall impression — Very well organized. Water is only every 2.5 miles.
Two GU stops. Good event.
####
Non “R” report:
Steve B (and Sam the Wolfdog) reports:
Fletcher Mountain, 13,951’
March 4th, 2001
Climbing mountains in Colorado in winter is often like a game of strategy.
You can’t always find the trail when the snow is 3-4 feet deep so you make
calculated guesses and make your way forward as best you can in the
direction of the peak. There is no right way or wrong way up a
mountain —just easier and more difficult. On this trip I tended more towards
the hard road.
Starting from the Quandary Trailhead on Blue Lakes Road (Summit County 850) just north of Hoosier Pass off Highway 9 we headed up the snow covered road in the direction of Blue Lake Dam. No one is driving this road at this time of year except via snowmobile. Along the way we passed a scene literally frozen in time: an old boarded residence with a faded pink ‘59 Pontiac buried in snow next door.
After two miles we reached the dam. A dog barked from the other side of the lake and a couple snowmobiles buzzed noisily up and down the road. This was where we left all human and animal activity behind as here the course led northwest and up into the silent valley alongside the spectacular south face of Quandary Peak.
Gerry Roach’s “Guide to Colorado 14er’s” mentions an old mining road leading up from the dam. I couldn’t locate it, so I forged up and picked my way through rocks and brush staying to the right of the drainage. Sam the wolfdog generally stayed low waiting to see where I would end up, invariably finding an easier route. After a mile or so scrambling we reached a high bowl. Fletcher came into view beyond the saddle descending from Quandary’s west ridge. Finding some cairns, I followed them staying to the right above the central drainage. When I started up to gain Quandary’s west ridge a couple hundred yards east of the saddle, Sam waited once more. Reaching the ridge I had difficult mixed snow and rock scrambling ahead to descend to the col — Sam watched my wasted effort (I was mainly avoiding possible avalanche conditions on the more direct route up the snow bowl.) Once Sam espied me way above on the col he scampered up the snowy slope in mere minutes.
Now we were well above 13,000 feet with Fletcher Mountain looming about half a mile away. Following about 300 yards across a mostly level snow pack, we reached the mountain proper and began climbing steeply up the slopes. To my right along the East Ridge the snow was piled high in dangerous looking cornices. Taking care not to move to close to the ridgeline we reached the summit after about half an hour in extremely pleasant conditions for winter — the sun brilliant and with just a whisper of wind. We enjoyed the views for a full twenty minutes before moving back down the mountain.
This time I kept a more direct course, right down the steep snow. Avalanche danger seemed slight, as the snow pack was very “tight.” Keeping to the drainage we descended directly to the lake. From the lake’s dam it was pleasant walking down the snow packed road. Though I had put glacier cream on my face I got some serious color on that bright sunlit day. Now five days later it is peeling.
Ascent time: 4 hours
Descent time: 2 hours
####
WWW post:
3/11/2001 A March snowfest did not keep 46 people from coming out for the
Sunday long run. Rampart Range Road had only had 1 car on it and only 1 more
went by during the 2+ hours:-) The snow/fog kept visibility low but it was
still a great run. Several ICers with beards had 1-2” icicles hanging from
them when they were done and every looked as if they could pass for a
snowman. Of course all the snow meant that everyone was a lot slower than
two weeks ago but at least the downhill was a lot softer.
####
Go out hard, when it hurts speed up...
Matt Carpenter
www.skyrunner.com
Barr Trail Mountain Race
www.runpikespeak.com
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