2011/11/07
Stepping Into BFR
I hate running or I think I hate running, what I know is that I hate the pain of shin splints and for me running = shin splints... maybe. I've stumbled across barefoot running (BFR) and I don't even remember how I ran across it other than a life-long willingness to explore tangents, I used to reference this as 'procrastination'. I dug into BFR a bit and discovered different styles like pose, chi, and evo. In my twenties I would cut or mark the branding off of my clothes and seriously considered de-badging my car so, I don't really care to support any one flavor, but the general idea of using more of the foot and reducing the impact on shins, knee, hip and lower back by keeping my feet closer to my center of gravity, landing on the forward portion of my feet and increasing cadence sounded appealing and worth a try. However, there seems to be a lot of controversy between some runners and which is better for you, BFR or shoes. There's even a site dedicated to trying to debunk BFR, although I noticed it does a lot of trashing BFR and not much supporting shoes. I really don't give a flip, I just want to run with less pain, but then I have to balance this, hopefully, lower impact approach to landing on stones, glass, metal, pecans, hickory nuts, etc., but I prefer to exist with greater awareness anyway so maybe paying attention to what's ahead of or under me will be worth the gain, IDK, but I'm willing to give it a shot and I started training a week or so ago.
2011/03/19
Cloudland Canyon
Cloudland Canyon was great. I hiked twenty-freaking-miles.
http://www.gastateparks.org/item/147706
This is a long update, but it was a long hike.
Down overlook trail I took an obvious canyon-side trail off the main then off to the west of the official trail's end I found a bit more trail to hike. Returned up the trail and down to the falls which included 1200 stairs. At the first waterfall I found a path on the south-side of the creek leading to the top of the second fall, you could die here, so, you've been warned. Did the observation deck at the bottom of the second fall, returned to the first fall and headed over the bridge towards the west rim loop, but instead of taking the first switchback after the bridge, I kept going south following along a three-story wall of layered rock, maybe sandstone, and it was loose with clearly recent slabs on the ground and a lot of this wall overhung the path, yep, you could die here, you've been warned. A quarter mile or so down I found a great slab of granite next to a pool in the creek, I took my last picture here before recharging the phone later, it's a great place to picnic and I did my best with an oatmeal raisin granola bar then lingered for a couple of hours before continuing until the path turned to thorny brambles then a drop-off. This was the well weathered side of the wall which had shrunk to one story, so I did a little rock climbing, I don't recommend this, but I wanted a piece of this area and had to hike out of the park boundaries to get it. So up, over and west over creek and road then another half-mile looking for rocks, I found 50 pounds of them, large pieces that will look great in the aquarium, I had to prop the pack on a rock and back into it, I could not lift it behind me. I backpacked 60 pounds 1.5 miles back to the truck (near the interpretive center) had to lower it by rope before climbing down the wall and then those damn stairs. I stepped down a little hard once and heard some strap stitchings snap, I winced, froze, got lucky and continued. I had no idea how much strain the weight would put on neck muscles, I still feel it. Made it to the truck, did the previous fb update, left the phone charging, cameled up, took a water bottle and headed back down the falls and Sitton's Gulch. Hiked to the gate, back around the loop and returned to those damned stairs, I was sucking air every third platform and dreaming of moleskin for my left heel, but I did see the most creatures here, garter snake, mass millipede crossing, and a brown water snake on the return, but by then I was looking at him in a you-are-calories kind of way. A few of the field flowers were in bloom, but I figure another week for most of them and maybe the laurels will start showing then as well. And back to the truck, water cameling, refill bottle, gave the pack in the front seat an ugly look, took the charged phone and off to the west rim trail for the last five miles and the last return up STAIRS, although I ended up rehiking the overlook trail for a few more pictures, by then I was a bit dehydrated, despite the 1.5 gallons I drank since arriving, hiking like a stumbling drunk and another half mile wasn't going to make any dfference. That's when I noticed the moon was full or nearly full and if I had any hike left in me I would have stashed the truck at one of the camp areas as if it belonged, then some renegade night hiking before returning to my picnic rock to sleep. Of course, no one knows where I am right now and my truck is not with my tent at the LZ...night!
http://www.gastateparks.org/item/147706
This is a long update, but it was a long hike.
Down overlook trail I took an obvious canyon-side trail off the main then off to the west of the official trail's end I found a bit more trail to hike. Returned up the trail and down to the falls which included 1200 stairs. At the first waterfall I found a path on the south-side of the creek leading to the top of the second fall, you could die here, so, you've been warned. Did the observation deck at the bottom of the second fall, returned to the first fall and headed over the bridge towards the west rim loop, but instead of taking the first switchback after the bridge, I kept going south following along a three-story wall of layered rock, maybe sandstone, and it was loose with clearly recent slabs on the ground and a lot of this wall overhung the path, yep, you could die here, you've been warned. A quarter mile or so down I found a great slab of granite next to a pool in the creek, I took my last picture here before recharging the phone later, it's a great place to picnic and I did my best with an oatmeal raisin granola bar then lingered for a couple of hours before continuing until the path turned to thorny brambles then a drop-off. This was the well weathered side of the wall which had shrunk to one story, so I did a little rock climbing, I don't recommend this, but I wanted a piece of this area and had to hike out of the park boundaries to get it. So up, over and west over creek and road then another half-mile looking for rocks, I found 50 pounds of them, large pieces that will look great in the aquarium, I had to prop the pack on a rock and back into it, I could not lift it behind me. I backpacked 60 pounds 1.5 miles back to the truck (near the interpretive center) had to lower it by rope before climbing down the wall and then those damn stairs. I stepped down a little hard once and heard some strap stitchings snap, I winced, froze, got lucky and continued. I had no idea how much strain the weight would put on neck muscles, I still feel it. Made it to the truck, did the previous fb update, left the phone charging, cameled up, took a water bottle and headed back down the falls and Sitton's Gulch. Hiked to the gate, back around the loop and returned to those damned stairs, I was sucking air every third platform and dreaming of moleskin for my left heel, but I did see the most creatures here, garter snake, mass millipede crossing, and a brown water snake on the return, but by then I was looking at him in a you-are-calories kind of way. A few of the field flowers were in bloom, but I figure another week for most of them and maybe the laurels will start showing then as well. And back to the truck, water cameling, refill bottle, gave the pack in the front seat an ugly look, took the charged phone and off to the west rim trail for the last five miles and the last return up STAIRS, although I ended up rehiking the overlook trail for a few more pictures, by then I was a bit dehydrated, despite the 1.5 gallons I drank since arriving, hiking like a stumbling drunk and another half mile wasn't going to make any dfference. That's when I noticed the moon was full or nearly full and if I had any hike left in me I would have stashed the truck at one of the camp areas as if it belonged, then some renegade night hiking before returning to my picnic rock to sleep. Of course, no one knows where I am right now and my truck is not with my tent at the LZ...night!
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