What the?!

Yeah. Ok. So it was actually a book about fabric and quilting or something like that. Nicole and I saw it today at a store and I couldn't pass up the photo opportunity.

I got my Vibram Five Fingers KSO Treks the other day and have been able to wear them around a bit, but no running yet. A more detailed report will follow after I get some miles on them. So far they are really comfortable and a great option when full barefoot is not an option (you know like at the market or...work).

Yes, those are individual toe pockets

Stitch and I have another zany adventure lined up to take place very soon. Trip report to follow. Hang on to your hats!

The Road to Vegas...

Vegas was a lot of fun. A pretty easy non-eventful 4 hours or so each way in the car. We listened to the audio book for Born to Run. I have already listened to it, but Nicole had not yet so we got several hours of listening in.

We had some great sushi after arriving and got to meet baby Audrey for the first time. All in all a great trip.

Our Vegas friends live in a great house pretty much as close to the mountains as it gets. Next time we are out there hopefully we'll have more time for some hiking.

The Hip show was good...but short. Just like when I saw them perform in Hollywood a few months ago there was no opening act. Unfortunately they only played about an hour and a half in Vegas as compared to about two and a half + hours previously. Oh well.


I got in a hot 15 mile run today in the little mountains. I'm still wired for East coast weather and seasons, so 80 degrees and sunny in November seems odd. I'm getting closer to 1000 trail miles on the year and the average per day is just over 3.09 miles.

With the 50k about three weeks away I have to start thinking about the dreaded taper. I don't know if I mentioned before, but this race will mark the one year anniversary of my first trail race (the 30k). I certainly feel comfortable running longer distances than I did then, but I don't know if I'm actually any faster!

Oh yeah, daylight savings pretty much means if I forget to take a headlamp to work with me I won't be able to run on the way home. Where did my evening sunshine go?

120th Post

more awesomeness at www.toothpastefordinner.com

Bought a new work shirt tonight. I am not a fan of shopping. Good find on the shirt though...wrinkle free, good quality, and cheap. I am less a fan of ironing clothes than I am of shopping for them.

The 5k a Day Trail Challenge is going well. 914.7 miles down for a 3.07 miles per day average.

The Santa Monica Mountains 50k is less than a month away. EH and BK of Night Owl Racing will be manning an aid station with young Mr. T. I'll be running for the finish line just as fast as my legs allow. I hope to keep up the swim in the ocean tradition post race...man it's going to be cold.

This weekend Nicole and I are heading to visit D + J in Vegas and see The Hip at House of Blues. Can't wait!


That's all for now.

Sushi and the Uphill Challenge

The other night Nicole and I enjoyed all you can eat sushi with some friends. It was...well, amazing. Yes the company was great, and so was the food. We were lucky to walk out under our own power over 3 hours after sitting down.

Meltzer and Jurek battle it out

Looking for a "fun" running activity? Have access to a treadmill? Give the uphill challenge a try. It's simple. Set the incline of the treadmill to 15 degrees and run/walk as far as you can in 15 minutes. I had fun with this as a side activity in the mornings at the gym in Thailand. I want to try it again now to see if I can break my own record. Oh, this is probably a bad activity to follow sushi. Just saying...

5k a Day Trail Challenge

our first trail run...less than a year ago...my 30k and Nicole's 9k

Small steps...the Trail to 1000 has officially been taken over by the 5k a Day Trail Challenge.

The goal in short...run the equivalent of a 5k a day on trails for 2009. This will add to the previous goal another 131.5 miles.

The current numbers:
863.7 miles run
287 days down
3.01 miles per day average
267.8 miles remaining
78 days remain
3.43 miles per day average needed

Next month is the one year anniversary of my first trail run. This year I'll be running the same event, but the 50k instead of the 30k. That will make 3 "races" at that, the lowliest ultra distance, so I'm planning on a 50 miler early next year. That will be pretty cool.

A Walk in the Park...

This past weekend Nicole and I took Benton for a hike up above Hollywood. The people watching was pretty good, but unfortunately I didn't take any photos. Well not of other people.



All said and done the loop was only about 3 miles long with one tricky downhill section. It was, however, pretty sweet to find a place to legally have Benton off leash on trails.


I posted a few weeks back about frustration related to people who take their dogs on trail...bring poop bags to clean up after them...then leave the bags on the trail. They aren't coming back to pick them up when it's there the next day and the next week. The thing is they would be much better off just leaving it or better yet get a stick and push it off trail.

Anyway, this story has an urban twist of sorts. In front of one of the mini-mansions on the way to the trail head there is a gated home with a sign asking dog owners to pick up after their pets. For whatever reason there were about 6 bags full of puppy goodness on the sidewalk right in front of the house. There has to be a story behind this one...



And that's that.

As East As We Get...

Nicole and I hung out at the Pasadena Wine Festival this weekend which was held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

We had a great time with friends and were lucky enough to hang out in the VIP tent. We also took a ride on the tram around the gardens. It was a nice relaxing way to spend an evening.