Night at Peacocks

I headed out toward Dillingham before the Friday afternoon rush hour fouled the roads and brought the flow of traffic to a standstill. Made it there in less than an hour and with surprisingly easy driving.

Moving along the bottom of long road by 4:10, I was hoofing it up the quickly sloping road with an extra gallon of water on my back. The going was slow, very slow at first, and the longer and higher the trudge the heavier that extra gallon became. If you have not had the pleasure of doing long road I have to tell you that the first mile is pretty flat, and the 1 mile marker sits at the base of a large tree that marks the first real steep. But the road is wide and smooth asphalt making it just a 'dig-in and do it' kind of up. Farther up, at the 1.5 mile marker the road moves through a gate and becomes narrower, older, and rougher, as it turns into the first valley. There the trees get a little taller at the sides of the road offering small patches of shade in the afternoon sun, false promises of relief from the humid warmth that rises off the old asphalt and the heat of the late afternoon sun. Moving toward the back of the valley the road hair-pins and heads up once again on the first of a long succession of switchbacks.

Its a bit deceptive, at first the road slopes up a bit more, but the sky opens up again as one turns out of the narrow valley and the view is of the ocean and the greenery of the coastal plain, the climb is steeper but there is sense of relief in being able to look out and away from the enclosing valley. In less than 2 miles the road probably rises 500 feet, but most of that is in the second mile. Then the switch-backs start up the western side of the valley wall and all calculations are thrown out the window as one begins to face an increasingly steep wall of asphalt.

The second switchback is the longest, hardest section. It must be a quarter of a mile long, with a surface that deteriorates quickly into a patchwork of forgotten lost budget cuts. Near the bottom there are often long fans of loose gravel which have collected during the heavy rains that hit the area on occasion. These patches are a problem going up, and dangerous coming down--a slide through one of these can do serious work on a knee. But the all pervasive fact about the second switch back is its stamina sapping, seemingly unending steepness. It quickly becomes an up that demands a momentary respite, a breather, a moment of bent over agony, as the body scrambles to cope with the sudden rush of a stark breathless reality. As one makes the hot rugged climb one is quickly convinced there could be nothing worse in life than pushing up these switchbacks, and this long second one to be most precise. It is always a bad omen to find oneself looking up and praying for an end, but it is, for me at least, inevitable on the long steep second switch, and by the time one finally sees the turn one has usually been defeated by that stretch of road, and one makes the turn slowly, humbled and thankful to be done with it.

'How can anything else be as bad?' is the thought that rings true, as one makes the turn with the feeling that the worst is behind, heart throbbing relief, and a prayer that the lungs can last a few more minutes. But the road is remorseless, sadistically coy, and after a brief flattering moment, when one wrongly assumes the hill is pretty much history, the road twists and turns upward once again. The grade is almost as steep, but the view is out toward the open ocean where cool breezes blow lightly over the dark waters. But the only water one feels in the hot late afternoon light is the sweat pouring off  one's head and dripping from arms and hands. The road wiggles like a nasty snake, threatening to strike, causing the heart rate to climb and a the breath to become shallow and quick. Somewhere deep in the back of one's mind the crying voice of a child is heard protesting the need to go on, the need to feel so bad. One soothes the angst, but to no avail, moving on despite the nagging cries of an evidently poorly trained spirit.

If one has not been numbed by the disapointment of hard training one may find the need to see the next turn as essential. It is a deceptive turn as it moves around the ridge into a long bowl of the next valley. I don't know why I always look forward to making that turn. Perhaps it's because it opens into a fresh place, another valley that promises something different. It's a false hope. It takes years of going up Long Road before one  admits that it doesn't get any less steep after the turn into the upper valley, and even after too many climbs it is hard to admit it is not less steep, that once one has made the turn it will not be better. But it's not really, and the grade continues close to 15 to 20 degrees. However the road surface is not as bad on that last stretch and the footing is better. So perhaps it can be said that it gets easier, even though any reasonable honest individual would have to say that it is no less steep than the switch backs.

One can see by this description that on the upper reaches of Long Road most thoughts are of the road. How far to go, where it might not be as steep, where one can catch a break and recover a bit of breath, where it would be good to take some water without puking. One may look out over the valley, or toward the ocean, but it is never with much appreciation, never in awe of the beauty or the stunning views. No, one looks out of blankly focused eyes, stinging with sweat, only to refocus the vision on the road, lower one's head, and grind ever so slowly up the hill.

When the road finally does bend around to the right and the gate becomes a promise rather than a myth, one is always defeated, spent, and breathing rapidly and painfully. The legs are jell-O and the back is aching, vision may even be harmonic, vibrating to the pulse of a heart that seems ready to explode. And even then the gate is only a promise, even then one is moving up through belief the end is near, not the reality that it actually is. Then, when finally there is a sight of the gate there is no celebration, no cheering, often not even a feeling of relief. On most occasions one does not even have the strength to remark about it; simply ducking unsteadily through the bars of the gate and standing there wondering how one made it, and if disintegration now follows.

But this is Peacocks, and this is just the beginning. There is the long Cross-over and then the steep down into Dillingham followed by an up that is perhaps more steep than the one one has just negotiated. But its too far away, to long to think about and the knowledge that the next 200 yards is down hill is sufficient as one  stumbles on looking forward, if nothing else, to a different kind of pain.

The days go bye

Date Description Miles
9/5 Triple Treck (30 Miles) 30
9/6 NIght Run, Manoa/Nature Center Return with Devon (14) 14
9/9 Hard Hot Highway(solo)+ Makapu'u Ups with Don (8+8) 16
9/10 Maunawili with Pete (8)
9/11-9/15 Crash
9/16 Hard Hot Highway (solo)+Makapu'u Repeats with Don (10+10) 20
9/18 Maunawili with Pete (10) 10
9/19 Peacock (12) with gang (hauled 2 gals. water to top.) 12
9/21 Maunawili (12) 12
9/23 Hard Hot Highway (25)(solo)+Maunawili(solo/with Pete)11 36

Just got back from 9/23 which was long, hard, hot, and wearing. Ran roads plus a Makapu'u up to far side of Waimanalo, back to trail head, and then the Waimanalo/Nuuanu up. Met Pete at the Falls trail. By then I was out of water, and tired.

Night Run

Devon called me Sunday morning to ask me about the Triple Trek and tell me he was going to do a night run. We talked about it and decided to try at least a Manoa-Nature Center-return and maybe more depending on how we felt. I have not done much night running, with the exception of those few evening runs that ran late so it seemed a good chance to get back into it. We agreed to meet at Manoa around 8:00pm.

It had rained on and off most of Sunday in the valley so I was expecting some mushy conditions. It was slippery along the Falss trail but the mud level was not bad and we made the falls fairly quickly. My calf was tight and I had told Devon I would be walking most of it. That seemed to agree with him. The Ahuilama up the back of Manoa Valley was its usual succession of mud pits. And after the initial dancing around the least of them we were forced to get good and muddy at that long deep trench in the midst of the bamboo. It began to rain heavy as we made our way up the trail and before we hit the Switchbacks we were soaked.

Ahuilama is not in great shape. It need to be worked on badly, but all in all it was passable and better than I had expected. The trenches are deeper and there seem to be more rocks littering the trail--all evidence of bad water management--but the biggest fallen trees were cut and we made good progress up to the concrete posts and slide. The last set of switchbacks were good, though the area around elbows is pretty steep and needs to be graded again.

The ginger was in full bloom and the night air was filled with the sweet aroma of white and yellow gingers. Some of the last of the night Jasmine was also in bloom and it added to the heavy fragrence of the evening. We made it to the Pie Stand at the top in about 55, and pushed on. Niether of us were up for a full HURT loop when we hit the cut-off for Nu'uanu and we agreed to head toward the Nature Center via Manoa Cliffs. Near the top of the cut-off we ran into another fragrance that just about put us to sleep. The Kahili ginger was in bloom along that little pocket of wetness near the top. I have never been out at night when it as in bloom. Sweeter than Olena. Amazing. Devon and I hovered around the blossoms like bees after honey. ( I was happy to find my nose is coming back a bit. I could not get a full close up sniff of the flower to register much, but the ambient smell a few feet back came to me pretty strong. I guess all the time on the trails is having a positive effect on my nose.)

We briefly hit rain along Manoa Cliffs, and then things calmed down. The moon couldn't break through much but the trail is good and I have done the reverse direction enought times recently that it was not problem. I was a bit surprised by the climb up into the straberry quava though. How easy it is to forget the ups when all you have been doing is the downs. The drop down Moleka, the cross-over and the Center trail all went well. We hit the Nature Center around 2:20.

We turned around and headed out just abut 2:30. Hogsback was a bitch. I was a bit tight from the rest and found the climb hard. But we pushed on and by the time we got up Roots and Rocks I was feeling better. The downlines often worked on the up and we hit the bench at the top in 24 something. No great shakes but a respectible time none the less. The climb up Mangos and Nahuina was hard but good and we hit the road around 1:05. Again, a decent under 7:00 HURT pace. The backside of Kalawahine was filled with ginger and it was intoxicating. We reached the Mapcase in about 1:40 or so. I'm not sure why we slowed. That area coming up the Cliffs trail switchbacks is pretty overgrown, so it was a bit slow going.

Devon wanted to get a picture of the Kahili, so we took a little time going down the cut-off to find a good bloom. Then it was a good push to the flats and toward the Pie Stand. Devnon and I have both been up on top during bad rains storms and we spent some time comparing our 'how much water' stories. The entire Flats can go under water and it doesn't pay to try and get down the trails on anyside if its been raining hard. I've seen the Cliffs trail flooded and running with waterfalls, I was down the Nu'uanu section with Judy last year and it was hair raising at times. Both of us have seen the Ahuilama in full rush. Given a choice we agreed that though the experiences were great they were not something either of us would knowingly repeat.

The going down the back of Manoa was slippery and slow at times. We slowed a bit and didn't get out until the clock had ticked by 3:00 hours I believe. I was a bit disapointed with the time on the return. I usually look at a 2:30 as the goal. A three is more of a 7:00+ pace. But it was slippery in the back of Manoa, and neither of us were up for a fast pace down the falls trails. All in all it was a good night run.

A Tough Triple Trek

I probably didn't prepare quite properly--a quart+ of Rocky Road Ice cream and a few beers, a far out carbo loading I quess--and I knew I had a problem with my right calf, but I didn't expect it all to go south on me less than 40 minutes into the race. But on my way up Moleka, after hitting 30 something at the bottom, I felt my calf tighten and knew it was not going to be a great run. I slowed and watched a lot of people go by, and just paced out the tight calf. It went on this way to the top of of Manoa Cliffs, and then down the switchbacks on the opposite side, and along Kalawahine.

Earnest caught me back on Kalawahine, his ankle was bothering him, but he was doing better than me. I followed him for a while, then lost him, caught him again at the aid station and then he moved ahead of me once again. The time was not that bad really. I was still doing a sub 2:15 pace but I needed a 1:45 on the first lap to break 6:00. My emotions ran from rage to despair, but never to humor. I caught up with somebody at the bench at the top of Hogback and found I could handle the down fairly well. Anyway I knew the line and he didn't. I just pushed on making the bottom turnaround by 2:06.

Ernest and I headed out of the aid station together, but I was feeling good and I pushed ahead, finally leaving the other guy from the drop down Hogsback behind and feeling good. Made the Big Bend by 16:30, the top of Smokeys under 22, and pushed past the bench under 30. All the times were good, but at best I was going to be breaking even perhaps. I pushed on up Moleka and across the road, making the strawberry guava patch at the top under 45. I buzzed the Cliffs, hitting the mapcase in just over 60. The back side and Kalawahine were fast, and I pushed my calf a bit hard as it loosened. I could hear Carol Bugarian and a friend up ahead of me every once in a while and managed to catch them down near the bottom of Bunyons where the small seep is. Then by Knee Knockers and the Seeps as quick as I could go. Carols friend was at my heels and I had to push down the last bit of Nahuina and onto Mangos. I lost concentration and she was behind my by the top of Hogsback and I had to run down to stay ahead. It wasn't smart but I just didn't want to be passed. I hit the aid station with a negative split doing perhaps a 1:58 or so. It was a good lap and it made the race.

The last lap was slow. I tried to chase Clem up the Center Trail and lost him before we hit the top. I made the bench around 35. My watch had reset itself and I was just guessing on times. My calf tightened a bit and before I hit the top of Manoa Cliffs I had pretty well given up. I limped into the finish with a 6:36. Sometimes you just take what you can get and move on.

I stayed around and talked and ate for about an hour as the rest of the racers came in, then helped pack up and finally made it home and to back to bed by 2:00 pm.

Pushing the Trek Envelope

Its Tuesday before the Saturday of the Trek. Still time to get in some good training. I had a late start but was on the trail by 5:30PM and heading up the Center Trail fast and feeling good. Hit the top of Water Pipes by 4:30, the top of Center by 16:30, and Smokies by 24:30 of so. So it was a fast run down Easies, a push up Ginger Shorts, and back down Twisters. I was feeling good up Stair cases and hit the Bench at 27:50 and managed to push up to the bottom of Moleka by 30:00. Not record setting times but among the best I have done in a long while. I was at the road at the top of Moleka by 40:00, but lost it on the steps toward the top of Manoa Cliffs, Hitting the top just over 45:00. Good pace in the early part of the Cliffs, but once again my mind wandered and I lost concentration, losing a few minutes here and there to other worlds. Made the top at the back of Manoa Cliffs by 1:00 and the Map Case by 1:02. I have done better, but the trails were different. This year seems to be harder just naturally, not just from a fitness standard. I was pushing down the back of Manoa Cliffs and my right calf tightened. I slowed but kept pushing and it seemed to be easing but spasmed again. I slowed knowing it was no good to push it as it would just aggravate the problem. After the turn a the bottom of kalawahine it felt a bit better and I was striding good, and ran into the last of Hash House Harriers heading out toward Tantalus. The guy's name was Warren and he was in his 60's. He had some poles and we talked, and my calf was tight so it didn't matter much about time anymore. Warren told me his tale of a hip replacement, and the fight he has had to come back. He is packing about 30 pounds too much and that may explain his difficulty to some extent. Anyway it was nice talking to Warren, thought the pace was slow.

His friends met him with a beer at the road, and I headed down Nahuina in the dark. I was using my neck light by the mid point after a few close slips and stumbles. It was dark, seemingly darker than a few days ago. I made it to Center, and strode down in the dark, alone and enjoying the quiet and peace of the night.




First turn on Nahuina

I was happy with the good time to the Map Case. No sense in push when you got a problem. Part of staying within one's own realm. The reality is sometimes not what we expect, but it is what limits us. I ran to the limit. Could only have eked a minute or two out of the push. Need to get those minutes from my core. Need to do ab work to find the extra time and the stamina I am going to need in the coming months.



by © aminagawa
The ginger is in bloom all along the Trek. It is wonderful. I wish I could smell it better than I do at the moment, but my sense is returning slowly.

Med Reports on the effects of Running on knees.

Long Distance Running and Knee Osteoarthritis A Prospective Study

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2556152

Long-distance running among healthy older individuals was not associated with accelerated radiographic OA. These data raise the possibility that severe OA may not be more common among runners.

Leave it to a gaggle of phd's to prove the obvious. Do you know anyone who runs with us that actually has severe OA? ......Do you think anyone asked them about problems of Sampling Data Mulitcolinearity??? Personally I find anything written by clowns with letters after their names a pain in the ass, but this is always the kind of thing you can throw at people who tell you you are crazy...for running so much.

Here are a few more if you are sitting there late at night and need to get to sleep.

Changes on magnetic resonance tomography in the knee joints of marathon runners: a 10-year longitudinal study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18483739


Does marathon running cause acute lesions of the knee? Evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16528558?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed