Friday, October 30, 2009

Clinton Lake Ultra Over 80% Full

Felt like posting something, but have nothing to say (until Saturday night after the McNaughton Park 30 Miler). The Clinton Lake ultra now has 104 registered runners out of a maximum of 125. That's 83% full. My next update about registration numbers will probably be something like "Race is Full." Don't wait too long if you want to run the first race in the 2010 Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam.

You are already viewing the world-famous race blog. Here is the race web site. And the link to currently registered runners. Feel free to skip all that mumbo-jumbo and go to the online registration page directly. I do encourage you to eventually read all the race web site information--lot's of good stuff there and a few warnings and pieces of advice.

Wish me well at McNaughton Park tomorrow morning. It's going to be wet and muddy! How's that different than any other race on that damn course? Good luck to Mike Siltman as the race director of this new fall "McNotAgain" race. Hope it goes well and people enjoy the day. I'm taking it easy. Hope to get in 20 miles of easy walking and running followed by a 10-mile speed loop. I'll report my heart rate splits after the race and compare them to my Farmdale race splits. I am shooting for another negative split (pretty easy to do when your first half is really slow).

Monday, October 26, 2009

New Balance 790 vs 100

New Balance has replaced the old NB790 trail running shoe with the new MT100 trail shoe (new model to left, older model at bottom). They are both meant to be light-weight, racing-flat style trail shoes. I loved the old 790 and was looking forward to the release of the 100. Well, I bought a pair of the MT100s and already sent them back for a refund. They are too narrow in the forefoot and too rigid. The new forefoot rock plate in the 100 certainly does seem to provide greater protection than the 790 had, but it also makes the shoe less flexible. I prefer less protection and more flexibility. The slightly more narrow forefoot also forced me to go back to the wider 790. One last big difference between the 790 and 100 is the heel area--the new 100 has a weird material that covers the top part of the heel counter and achilles. It's like a dense foam rubber. I didn't get a chance to really test this new material on any significant runs, but it could bother some folks...or not. The shoe was designed to accommodate sockless running so I would think this new heel material would have been tested thoroughly with many sockless runners during development. Maybe it's better than the traditional heel covering.

I already ordered another pair of the 790s on sale. They are a GREAT trail racing flat. One feature that did seem like a great improvement in the newer shoe was the tread. The 100 has much better traction/tread than the older 790. If New Balance made that one change to the 790 it would be a "perfect" shoe!

Both shoes are lightweight, low-to-the-ground, and have minimal cushioning & support. They are also very breathable and allow water to drain out quickly. Anyone looking for a "minimalist" trail shoe should give the new MT100 a try...or maybe go with the original 790 available at closeout sales across the internet. You can always buy the new model when it eventually goes on sale.

NOTE: I had a size 13 in both models. Maybe a size 14 (there is no 13.5) in the new MT100 would have helped in terms of foot narrowness. Not sure. Still, I would have had the issue of rigidity to deal with in the new shoe. Buy the new 100 from a local shoe store where you can try it on before purchasing...or from an online vendor that allows free returns.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Running Barefoot Means No Shoes

Here is a good piece (copied fully below) from Barefoot Ken Bob (Saxton) dated October 15, 2009 (from the awesome web site "Running Barefoot"). Cool logo to the left is also from the web site--and they have some neat merchandise that uses the logo. I agree with virtually everything this guy says...and I agree with this post too (I run a little barefoot, a lot in Vibram FiveFingers, and the rest in minimalist racing flats). I try not to confuse barefoot with "minimalist" shoe running. His post is a good reminder that they are distinctly different...

Running in footwear is NOT Running “Barefoot”

by Ken Bob Saxton

I don’t mind people running in whatever kind of footwear they like, but it is deceptively misleading – to call running in minimalist shoes, “Barefoot” - it is, sadly, leading many people to injury.

I suppose some of you are getting tired of hearing me talk about how running in minimalist footwear is NOT running “Bare” foot! But, I’ve been sick and tired of hearing people call running in minimalist footwear, running “Bare” foot!

First of all, running with footwear is NOT running “bare” foot. Secondly, it is deceptivly misleading. And sadly, this deception is leading people to seriously hurt themselves!

So, you should be thankful that I don’t post articles like this EVERY time I find a blog (like the barefoot running post at TentLife.net), or advertisement, claiming that running in minimalist footwear IS “BARE” foot running!

If you really want to learn how to run “Barefoot”, take off the footwear!

The problem is, with these “crutches”, people are not getting one of the most important benefits of running barefoot – the feedback from the multitude of nerve endings in our bare soles. yes, I know it hurts to go barefoot at first – that IS the point! It is these very pains that teach us to stand, walk, and run, differently than we learned in foot-numbing footwear, in ways that don’t create the pain in the first place.

Yes, running barefoot will strengthen the feet, in time. But, it isn’t just about strengthening the feet to endure running badly. It is about being able to feel when we are running badly, so we can learn to run better, more gracefully, without causing pain. Then our feet will grow tough enough, to run gently. More toughness than that is not necessary.

Without the feedback from our senstive bare soles, people are, running longer, and landing harder, than their feet, body, and minds are ready for, on their begining barefoot outings (and they don’t have the support of their old stiff running shoes to protect their feet from this abuse).

A friend of mine, and a running coach, recently called me, and said he has been seeing this same phenomenon for a couple of years, about the time Vibram started marketing their Five Finger shoes (yes, they are shoes!) as a “Barefoot” running shoe… and people are getting hurt, without the benefit of their sensitive bare soles, they still don’t feel how badly they are running, or when they have run too much.

I know I’m repeating myself, even within this post - but I will continue to repeat myself as long as people are getting hurt, from wearing footwear, which is deceiving them into believing they have learned to run just fine.

I can understand the desire to start out, running barefoot, gradually, carefully, with baby steps. And you certainly should start out gradually, carefully, with baby steps - but no infant I have ever met, was born with tough feet, or shoes!

In bare soles, we are like infants, with the benefit of sensitive feet, that, like an infant’s bare soles, have rarely touched the earth, TEACHING us HOW to interact with the earth, naturally, gently, effieciently, and gracefully.

First, learn to run, with the full benefit of precise feedback from your BARE soles, and allow them to teach you HOW to run gently.

Second, if you want to run on extreme surfaces, wear the minimalist footwear. But, if you have truely mastered running barefoot, you’ll find that protection is completely unnecessary, and actually gets in the way of your actually running barefoot.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Andy is Insane!

For those that might not know, Andy Weinberg moved from Illinois up to Vermont. His Pekin-based McNaughton Park trail runs were some of the best ultras in the country. Andy has already started several new races in Vermont, but his newest is a set of Vermont-based McNaughton races in May 2010. One of the race distances is 500 miles (with a 9-day limit)...Andy is insane! If you can make it to Vermont in early May, give one of Andy's races a try. You won't be disappointed. After running loops in the Green Mountains for a couple hundred miles (or more), you may be certified as crazy, but that's different than disappointed. I'm actually considering going up to do one of the "shorter" ultras (less than 500 miles). Hmmm...am I crazy too? Maybe I'll try a "McNaughton Double" (the original Pekin 100 miler in April and Andy's new Vermont McNaughton 100 in May). That "double" would be good preparation for the Canadian Death Race in August 2010. Of course, Andy already has a Vermont Death Race in June. I told you...that dude's insane! Now I have my real training plan: Original McNaughton Park 100 miler in April, new McNaughton 100 miler in May, and the Vermont Death Race in June. After that series, the Canadian Death Race should be a breeze...if I'm still alive!

Good luck to you Andy. You're one hell of a race director.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Clinton Lake 2010 Race Now 50% Full

Just a quick update and warning...the 2010 Clinton Lake ultra is now 50% full (including all of our past race champions). Registration has only been open for 3 weeks! Once the race is full, it's full. I don't have an official waiting list (and the unofficial list might see only 1-2 people added to the race roster). Check out the race web site to register and view current entrants. I update the registration list more than once a week. For those wanting a taste of the trail, it is currently in OK shape. I believe some unofficial volunteers have done a little maintenance work. I ran the trail this weekend and there is a little debris here and there, but it's basically clear and runnable. The high grass in the open areas has calmed down a bit with the recent frosts (and more hikers/runners using the trail). No itch weed and no briars. A few logs to jump over...that's what trail running is all about! The leaves are changing and the trail is really pretty this time of year (see picture at left taken from the race start area). Be careful and watch your footing...the newly fallen leaves cover up a few roots and rocks.

Another thing to watch out for when you run the Clinton Lake trail this time of year is deer hunting. This is the season to wear brighter colors and keep an eye on the few gun days (archery season is already open, but doesn't seem as scary or dangerous for the runners). Here are the firearm dates:

November 20-22
December 3-6
(Muzzleloader only is Dec. 11-13)
December 31-January 3
January 15-17

Personally, I would avoid the dates that have firearms going off on the trail! Some of these dates have restrictions on trail use too.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

11 Slammers Start, 11 Finish

There were only eleven Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam contenders left after three of the four Grand Slam races. All eleven of those runners signed-up, showed-up, and finished the Farmdale Trail 32 Miler. Congratulations to all of them. It's been a long year and they persevered. Farmdale hasn't posted their race results yet, so I can't officially update the full Grand Slam standings, but I can say that Matt Condrun and Jake Vernon were the overall male & female iTUGS champions for 2009! Well done. Everyone got a Grand Slam t-shirt for finishing...Matt & Jake also grabbed those trophies sitting on the ground in the photo to the left.

I'll have a race report later, but it was a wonderful day for running. The trail was soft, but not muddy. The weather was almost perfect...nice and cool, partly sunny, and only a hint of a breeze. Many runners started with light jackets, gloves, and hats, but most tossed those aside after the first 8-mile loop. One crazy guy even got rid of his hat, gloves, shirt, vest, shoes, and socks...just so he'd have a "cool" finish line photo as he sprinted barefoot to the finish! I was that crazy fella, so I couldn't take any photos of that mad dash...looked like a couple folks at the finish area captured the moment. I'm sure I'll be blackmailed to keep them off the internet.

UPDATE: The Farmdale results are posted and I have updated the final Grand Slam standings.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

2009 Grand Slam Finishing Up

The 2009 Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam (iTUGS) will finish up this weekend at the Farmdale Trail Run. It's been a long haul since they started this adventure at the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run back in March. We only have 11 current survivers and they are all signed-up for the Farmdale 32 miler. (Last year there were 20 Grand Slam finishers.) If these 11 finish on Saturday, they will be crowned 2009 Grand Slammers! I'll be at the Farmndale race (using it for a good long training run) and I plan on taking a group picture of this year's folks before the race starts. As each Slammer finishes, they'll get their regular Farmdale finisher award...plus an iTUGS finisher shirt...and the overall champions will also get a special homemade trophy! Rumor has it that this year we'll even have some adult beverages to celebrate the conclusion of the Grand Slam.

Best of luck to all 11 Grand Slam contenders. Hope you have an injury-free and pleasant run at Farmdale. After rain much of this week, the weekend weather looks to be cool and clear.

A special thanks to Adam Zimmerman for organizing the Grand Slam prizes this year. And everyone should be appreciative of the four race directors that make this possible: Andy (McNaughton Park), Larry (Rock Cut Hobo), Dave (Farmdale), and Chris from Clinton Lake (that's me!).

Friday, October 9, 2009

Barefoot Division for Clinton Race?

I'm considering adding a barefoot running division to the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run. I've become infatuated with minimalist running (barefoot, five finger shoes, racing flats, sandals, etc). It would be cool to encourage more barefoot runners...and also generate lively discussion...by adding a special category to the race. Maybe it would simply be a random prize available only to bare footers. I haven't really figured out the details, but I like the idea. It would probably exclude racing flats, but include barefoot, sandal/huaraches, and Five Finger shoes. Anything that frees your toes from the prison of shoes!

I posted to the Google minimalist runner group and received a lot of support and comments regarding having a barefoot division for a race. I don't know of any trail ultra that has such a division. I think there are a couple road races that have such a division. I would need to check with the race insurance company to verify that no rules are being broken. Policies often have restrictions like no dogs, no headphones, no strollers, but I've never seen a restriction on "type of shoes" or requirement for shoes. Hmmm...

I've been running a lot more in my Vibram Five Finger shoes and I love them. Occasionally I also go completely barefoot. The new gravel and rocks on my local trail make the barefoot running a lot harder than before, but it's still possible. I can tell my feet are stronger than they were just 3 months ago. My running has been fairly slow and easy, but I'm feeling good. Once I add a few more long runs and a little speed to my workouts, I'll be set for the fall racing season. I hope to complete a full trail ultra in my Five Finger shoes next year. Maybe a local 5K road race too.

So, think it would be cool to add a barefoot/sandal/five finger division to the Clinton Lake ultra?

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Clinton Lake Race 30% Full

Just a quick update telling you that the Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run now has 37 registrants. The maximum is 125 so we are 30% full after just one week of open registration! At this rate, we'll be full before you can say "Happy Halloween!" Time may be running short...I know the race date isn't until March 27, 2010...but if you want to get in on the fun, you should register fairly soon. I'm confident the race will close before January 1. The race will be listed in the next issue of Ultra Running as well as Trail Runner magazine. Get in before the word really gets out. I'm the race director and fairly biased in favor of this event, but it really is a nice, small, trail ultra that gives a lot back to the runners for a small fee (same fee as when the race started 4 years ago--no inflation here!). We charge $45 and runners get a race shirt, finisher medal, running socks, rain poncho, and a 6-month (3 issue) subscription to Marathon & Beyond. Plus quite a few random prize give-aways. Not to mention the great home-town, Midwestern hospitality! What are you waiting for...it's time to register.

Don't forget, if you miss the Clinton Lake race, you'll have no chance to do the Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam. Don't be left out of the Slam!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

2010 Clinton Lake Registration is Open

The registration for the 4th annual Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Run is now open! We have moved to 100% online registration. Hope that's OK with people--it really helps my job as race director. Keep an eye on this blog for race updates, but also check out the race web site for good basic information and the registration link (plus a tally of currently registered runners). In case you didn't already know, the race date and starting time is Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 7:30am. That means it is less than 177 days until the race begins. Register soon, it'll likely fill up before January 1.

Earlier this year (on this blog) I elaborated on various changes I proposed for the 2010 event. Most of those are already set to go, but I'm still working on a couple. Please note that there is no early start option this year. The entire group goes off at 7:30am (instead of 8am) and everyone must finish by 4:30pm (instead of 4pm). That essentially gives EVERYONE a full 9 hours and an earlier starting time.

Looks like we'll still have an Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam...with the new "original" McNaughton Park trail race taking the spot of Andy's race. Same course, new director. Farmdale will also be under new directorship, but will remain in the Grand Slam. And Hobo 50K will keep Larry as RD and continue in the Slam. Don't forget that this blog has web links to the Grand Slam and all four individual races on the left sidebar.

PS: If your name is Christine Crawford or Logan Martin, you are not allowed to register online for the race...you'll get a paper form/waiver to sign and your full entry is free. You are the current race champions! It's a nice race perk for the male and female winners. Who will get into the 2011 race for free? It could be you!