H.U.R.T. Hawaii

Pictures of Badwater Don

For those of you who haven't seen them yet, here are links to a couple of pictures showing everybody's favourite ultrarunner amid cheering crowds at the Badwater post-race party:

Don#1
Don#2
Don#3
Don#4
Don#5

And believe it or not, he's even smiling in one of them!

Harald

Race Results and Saturday Race

Looking at the race results for the Volcano runs and I am surprised we had anyone out for our Saturday training run. There were so many of our regular runners listed in the results that I only want to place a link. Otherwise I will surely leave a name out and someone will be upset with me.

So, congratulations to all the runners at the Volcano runs on Saturday. Click here to view the results. Some pictures can be found here. Hopefully someone will add some more and a write up. (?)

Additionally, the San Francisco Marathon was run today. Kat Tagaca ran it as well as these other Hawaii runners. You might recognize another name or two on this list.

Finally, don't forget, the H.U.R.T. Trail Series race, Manuawili Out and Back is Saturday, August 4th. The race will start at 7:00 a.m. however registration is opening at 6:00 a.m. for this race. You can run it solo (22 miles) or do it as a relay. Click here for more details.

Running and Diabetes

Saw this article on NY Times on ultra-distance runners and diabetes and thought it would be of interest. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/fashion/26fitness.html

Saturday Training: 7/28/07 Final Maunawili Race Preview

Aloha Athletes,
With just returning from a trip and following Don's Badwater adventure, I almost forgot about posting for Saturday. After reading Mike's post just below this one, this seems pretty trivial. Yes, I know we just did this run a couple of weeks ago. Remember, it's all good training.

Saturday Training: Maunawili Out and Back

Meeting time: 5:50 am

Starting time: 6:00 am

Meeting place: Pali Lookout Parking Area 

Training: One way or both directions

Distance: Approximately 11 miles one-way, 22 miles round trip.

Time: 2 - 3 hours, one-way and 4.5 - 6 hours round trip

What to bring: Water, gels, electrolytes, what ever you might need.

Stash: ?? I hope to get some water and Gatorade out there.

Please note that if you are planning to run just one-way, that you will need to arrange your own way back to the Pali Lookout. Since several people may be interested in this, post a Comment and connect with other runners if you are only going one-way.

There was a Crooked Man

The crooked man crab walked down the desert highway turning the light comedy of Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks into a separate circle of Hell, the pain on his face adding that final twist of reality that brought people to cheer or turn their faces in horror. But the bent man didn’t hear most of it, didn’t have time to raise a hand even if he could have managed it, he just jigged painfully on toward the top of the long desert mountain, down another hard hot highway, and on toward an Emerald City that lay shrouded in the dusty air, little more than myth at the end of a fractured yellow brick road.

He went as far as his friends could help him, as far as his body could carry him, as far as his determination could will. Then, somewhere down 98 miles of desert highway, since it was really only a race, and when it looked like he could permanently damage himself, he drove the stake into the earth and laid down to rest. But he didn’t quit, he didn’t despair, or lament his weaknesses. He rose in the morning, pulled up the stake and once again began the crooked but unbroken walk toward the green meadows of many a runner’s heaven, Lone Pine, the last of the desert check points on his long hard journey.

More and more crooked he moved, more and more bent he stood, more and more painfully he traveled, and yet more and more certain he became that he could do what he had seen only as a dream, as a forlorn hope. And as each painful step brought him closer to his goal his body twisted and turned and writhed, his stride became wounded and sadistically comical, and his voice turned dry and fragile. Hours passed, each one sixty minutes long, and each minute sixty seconds longer, and each second an eternity of pain he lived as if it were every mile of the long journey he had already completed. Then finally he stepped onto the edge of the summit and stood there with both feet on neither side, and the pain became just another tool to divine the journey’s meaning.

There was no highest mountain climbed, the portals of Heaven did not open, and many goals were left unfulfilled. But that is life. We often leave much uncompleted when we make a habit of striving beyond our known limits. There is no failure in that. The Crooked man did not stop in the face of adversity, did not falter in the face of defeat, nor whine when the demons of pain and despair enshrouded him in their twin veils. He pushed on until the clock ran out, until the final moment, and in that he found great success and proved an inspiration to many.

He wore a HURT shirt from start to finish. His run epitomizes what that symbol means. Understand his story, understand the limits that were in play, and let it stand as an example to you when you too wear that emblem and attempt to push your own personal limits. Draw inspiration, courage, and wisdom from his tale.

I’m sure he will tell you soon in his own words, but from my point of view this was the most miserable bitch of an hard ass run I have ever seen. It was an honor to be at his side through much of this grueling experience.

A new update-Wed. a.m.

Click here for an update

Follow Don at Badwater Here

Starting Monday, click here for the link to follow the web cast of the 2007 Badwater Ultra Marathon. Remember Don starts in the first wave at 6:00 a.m. and there are three starting times; 6:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Mt. Rainier and Ultrarunners - Photos

I'm not the best at loading photos, but here is a link to SnapFish for lack of another tool:

Mt. Rainier Photos

I hope it is easy to view - so great photos.

Saturday Training: 7-21-07 Triple Trek Loops

The Triple Trek is a coming up pretty fast (September 1)  and it's time to do some training for it.

Saturday Training: Trek Loops

Meeting time: 5:50 am

Starting time: 6:00 am

Meeting place:  Hawaii Nature Center , Lower Lot 

Training: Trek Loops

Distance: 10 miles per loop, up to you as to how many loops you want to do.

Time: 1.5 -2.5 hours per loop

What to bring: Water, gels, electrolytes, what ever you might need.

Stash: On your own in your car.

Ultrarunners Summit Mt. Rainier

Larry Inouye and myself, Paul Sibley, made it to and most importantly back from the summit of Mt. Rainier (14,410 feet) along with our climbing partner Carl Overaa!  This was an amazing endurance effort that saw us push up and back with over 20 hours of climbing in less than 48 total hours carrying packs upwards of 50% of our body weight and of course on the glacier.  We chose the Emmons route and had very nice weather.  Aside from Larry wanting to look into a crevasse feet first, we had no dangers.  Long distance running prepared us for the mental challenge of not always feeling great and holding on for a energy recovery, knowing how to plan your nutrition ahead and suffering.  And yes, it was so much fun!

This was Carl's fourth attempt, my third and Larry's first.  Pictures to come later.