Airplane Trail, Toro Park

One of the first things they teach you in elementary school English classes is that every good story needs a beginning, middle, and end … but this post goes against convention in some regards, in that I really don’t know how the story begins. I’d love to find out someday, though.

This much I know: the story involves a small airplane - one that met with an unfortunate fate. The ending is clear, but the beginning and middle of the story are something of a mystery. Every now and then I visit the airplane and try to piece together the rest of the story, either factually or in my imagination. And by “visit”, what I really mean is “take a pretty cool trail run and make up crash theories to mentally preoccupy some of the long miles”, but you probably already guessed that.

The location of our story is Toro Regional Park (click to enlarge any of these pictures), home to rugged hills, steep canyons, beautiful vistas …

... and cows. Lots and lots of cows.


Most of the outbound trail is a gradual uphill climb that takes you past remnants of the old rancho days of Monterey County, such as this corral where early settlers kept livestock and lived off the land, but now is little more than a vacant echo of a time gone by.

The trail continues up to a high meadow where, after a rainy day …

… these kind of tracks are pretty common. A few weeks ago, several people pointed out my lack of expertise in confusing cougar prints with coyote paws – but there’s no mistaking these kind of tracks …


… especially when the owners are relaxing just around the next bend in the trail. These are the pastures of heaven that Steinbeck described so eloquently, and the fact that I can find myself here with a relatively short trail run is a continual source of amazement for me.


And whatever the ranchers were serving for breakfast that morning must have been pretty good, since no one seemed particularly bothered by my presence.


I bid goodbye to the cows on the high meadow, and started a long descent down the opposite side of the ridge …


All the way to the base of Harper Canyon, where the open vistas are replaced by thick tree cover, and the trail narrows to a meandering single track climbing into the steep valley …


… and back and forth across a seasonal stream. I did this run just a couple of weeks into our rainy season, so the ground wasn’t quite saturated enough to run off into the stream bed – but in another month or two, several sections of this trail will be submerged in a few inches of water.


Despite its shoddy appearance, this bridge is actually fairly safe. I know this because the first time I ran on this trail, I had my training partner go over it first. Partners are great, aren’t they?


The trail eventually splits between a saddle that leads to the top of the ridge, and the generally unmaintained Airplane Trail. Maybe this is just me ... but if you were in the middle of a steep, narrow trail, miles removed from any roads and saw a sign labeled “Airplane Trail”, you'd pretty much have to see where that leads, right? I thought so.


Shortly after the trail juncture, the first sign that something is out of place: instead of a standard wooden footbridge, you cross the stream on what looks to be a metal floorboard from a single-engine aircraft. A little further up the trail you notice something that is definitely out of place:


Part of the airplane fuselage that came to rest in this little clearing. What’s especially interesting about this fragment is how far removed it is from the rest of the aircraft …


… which lies another tenth of a mile or so up the trail.


There are conflicting local theories about what exactly this plane might be. Some think it was a piloted single-engine aircraft that ran into trouble shortly before approach or after takeoff from Carmel Valley’s rural airstrip a few ridgelines away from here. Others think it was an unmanned military-type drone from the nearby Fort Ord Army base that crashed and was conveniently forgotten.


I honestly don’t know which way I’m leaning; it seems awfully small for a person to have fit inside, but canary yellow isn’t a color I normally associate with military aircraft. One thing I’m certain of, though: regardless of how the story might have begun, it darn sure didn’t end well.


After gawking at the wreckage for a while, you have to retrace your steps to return to the trail junction and climb out of the canyon, leaving the mystery of the airplane shrouded under the canopy of oak trees behind.


A few random notes about this picture at the top of the canyon …

1) Yes, I’m fully aware that in the last couple of self-photos I’ve published, I appear to be carrying a few extra pounds than in my crazy ultra-racing days of last spring and summer. All I can say in my defense is, it was January, and I’m working on it now. (Um … sort of.)
2) I’m wearing one of the first-ever logo shirts from Wilderness Running Company, which I’ll review here as we get closer to spring. You’re probably not going to believe this, but at one point I thought the shirt might literally kill me. And now I love it; I’ll explain it all later.
3) Vibrams, baby. Vibrams.


By this point of the run, you’ve earned your mileage, and the only thing left is to enjoy a long gradual descent back towards the Salinas Valley, with one half of your mind absorbing all the killer views, and the other kicking around crazy airplane crash scenarios. Or maybe that’s just me.

Although the story of the airplane isn’t properly told without a real beginning, I find it fairly compelling anyway - it’s one that I find myself returning to from time to time, perhaps hoping to glean some piece of information or cobble together some theory that I didn’t have before. Either way, it keeps me interested, which should always be the goal of good storytelling – whether my former English teachers agree or not.

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Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek Review

In my original Vibram FiveFingers review last summer, I described the revolutionary product as a disruptive innovator for the manner in which it completely changed the market in ways that mainstream footwear companies never anticipated. Since that time, Vibram’s popularity has soared, and the shoe industry is still scrambling - sometimes thoughtfully, other times rather hysterically - to figure out how to respond.

And while their increasing appeal guarantees that Vibram won’t take anyone by surprise anymore, they continue to take the “innovator” label very seriously: between fall 2009 and fall 2010, they will have introduced no fewer than four new models to their product line, effectively doubling their previous lineup. Many of the tweaks and upgrades are driven by user feedback; since the activity profile of Vibram FiveFingers (typically abbreviated VFF) users is incredibly diverse, the company invites and embraces customer feedback about new applications and ideas for improvement. It was in just such a manner that the KSO Trek was born.

FiveFingers KSO Trek

In a nutshell, the KSO Trek is a more rugged version of the popular KSO model that I’ve reviewed previously. The KSO had become the de facto model of choice for trail runners – including myself – because to that point it was the most durable model Vibram had to offer. High mileage trail runners experienced some issues with durability of the uppers and traction of the outsole (this was the primary drawback I experienced), and Vibram has addressed both of those concerns quite effectively with the Trek, which is now identified on the company website as the designated model for trail runners.

The updates are fairly dramatic, and easily apparent. They’ve also triggered a bit of discussion among consumers for various reasons, which will be pointed out shortly. For now, let’s get to the review - starting from the top, and working our way down.

One concern identified by longtime VFF trail runners was the durability of the KSO’s mesh upper against various ground hazards. During any trail run, there’s a good chance that parts of the upper will rub against rocks, thick pine needles, fallen branches, and all manner of sticks or twigs that get jammed into the top of the foot or lodged between the toes. Some of these hazards would potentially cause punctures or loose seams with long-term use. Vibram’s solution to this concern is the use of kangaroo leather on the upper of the KSO Trek.

Plush kangaroo leather uppers

Kangaroo leather is a pretty amazing material – it’s incredibly soft and smooth to the touch, and feels like velvet against your skin. It is very thin with outstanding breathability, but is as strong and tear resistant as traditional cowhide. The specific kangaroo leather Vibram uses is called K-100, which provides excellent water resistance and a "microblok" anti-microbial treatment to help with the inevitable stench factor. However, it’s also a material choice that stirred up a bit of controversy when it was originally announced.


Although kangaroo products are a traditional commodity in the Southern Hemisphere, animal rights proponents in various locales have objected to its use over the years. As recently as 2007, it was illegal to buy or sell kangaroo products in my home state of California, but today kangaroo meat and leather goods are commonly exported all over the world. Although they’re much cuter than North American cattle, kangaroos essentially serve a similar industrial need Down Under – and in much of Australia, they are seasonally hunted like deer (because for obvious reasons, they’re harder to shoot than cattle) as a means of population control. Nevertheless, some Vibram users object to the notion of killing Kanga just to make a pair of foot coverings.

Part of this probably has to do with the fact that many early Vibram adopters were the barefoot crowd - a group that has traditionally had a distinct Earth-loving tree-hugging vegan peacenik hippie element to it. (Remember this ambush interview by the Raw Food folks?) For that particular crowd, any animal products will be cause for protest – but if you’re already a meat-eater or consumer of animal products, the use of kangaroo leather shouldn’t be a moral issue for you.

(Sorry for the digression. Stepping off my political soapbox now … )

The middle of the Trek features a 4mm EVA midsole, which is a full 2mm thicker than the standard KSO. It’s a tangible increase in cushioning compared to the KSO – which makes pure minimalist runners raise their eyebrows – but I didn’t notice any sacrifice in ground feel. You can still detect every bump and pebble on the trail, but your foot feels more comfortable on all types of terrain.

Rugged outsole

Underfoot, the Trek makes a significant upgrade from the KSO by using a lightly cleated 4mm performance rubber outsole for improved traction. In my KSO review, the only performance-related drawback I encountered was some slippage on steep slopes with loose gravel. I’m very happy to report that the new outsole is more than adequate to take on that kind of terrain, as well as any other trail conditions you encounter.

My Treks happened to arrive right on the cusp of our rainy season, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to get them muddy and sloppy over the past several weeks. I’ve gone up and down rocky slopes, traversed muddy single tracks, and done quite a bit of rock-hopping back and forth across stream crossings. While the knobby outsole isn’t at the caliber of the grippiest shoes I’ve ever worn (in my book, that’s still La Sportiva's Wildcat and Crosslite, with the Salomon SpeedCross2 a close second), they perform as well as the majority of dedicated trail shoes out there.

Above the clouds on top of the Salinas Valley; no trail is too difficult for Treks!

From top to bottom, the Trek is an outstanding improvement over the KSO for dedicated trail runners: it’s comfortable, durable, and rugged, and built to handle any type of terrain. Best of all, despite all the augmentations to the shoe, somehow Vibram managed to keep the weight the same; the Treks weigh 5.7 oz each, identical to the original KSOs. The only thing that’s heavier about this model is the price.

This has been another source of discussion among VFF users: the retail price of $125, which is a significant increase from the $85 KSOs. Most of the inflation is attributable to the upper - apparently high-performance kangaroo leather doesn’t come cheap – and like all VFFs, there’s no “500 mile rule” for midsole breakdown, so the $125 you spend for Treks should last you much longer than the same amount for a pair of traditional trainers. But justified as the price point may be, it might be hard for some folks to embrace the benefits of “barefoot” wear that costs more than most bulky or high-tech performance shoes.

Consequently, the decision to go with the Treks over standard KSOs should boil down to your intended use. If you want something to use equally on roads and trails, or if your local trails aren’t terribly technical, you can probably get by with the regular KSOs. If you’re a devoted trail runner who takes on all sorts of terrain and wants something tough enough for all conditions, the Trek is well worth the investment.

From my standpoint, the Trek is absolutely ideal – it features all the improvements over the KSO that trail runners have asked for, while maintaining the lightness and ground feel of purely minimalist footwear. In fact, I’m so confident about their comfort and performance that doing an ultra in the Treks seems completely manageable. I’m hoping to build my overall mileage in them significantly over the course of the spring and summer, and I’ll keep you posted with updates as I look towards potential races in the fall.

Time to relax; Monterey Bay in far background (click to enlarge)

The Vibram FveFingers KSO Trek retails for $125 from TravelCountry.com as well as other online vendors.

*Product provided by Vibram USA
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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i-gotU GT-600 GPS Tracker Review

If the name of this particular product sounds familiar, that’s because I reviewed its precursor, the i-gotU GT-120 GPS tracker from Mobile Action Technology, last August. The full review is here, but here’s the quick recap: the GT-120 is a super-small, super-convenient and durable GPS tracker you use to log your outdoor adventures, then play around with them in cool ways like including geotagged pictures or uploading the files to Picasa or Flickr for sharing with friends and family. And at a retail price of $70, it’s one of the most affordable GPS gadgets you’ll ever come across.

Near the end of last year, the folks at MAT contacted me again to test an updated GPS tracker called the GT-600, and for the past couple of months, I’ve been using it for hiking and cycling as well as running. It has some definite improvements over the GT-120, but carries a higher price tag as well – so it’s a question of whether the upgrades are worth it.


For starters, the GT-600 is compatible with Windows 7, whereas the previous device only works with Windows XP and Vista. The new version is slightly larger than the old one, but is still small enough to fit comfortably into a pocket or key pouch, and light enough (only 37g) that you’ll barely notice it. The casing is water resistant, so there’s no worries if you get caught in the rain.

The GT-600 also features improved accuracy, efficiency, and versatility over its predecessor, thanks to hardware upgrades and an improved software package. Hardware improvements include a larger battery – which explains the slightly increased overall size – with a minimum operation time of 80 hours, so you can take it with you for several outings before needing a recharge. The battery recharges completely within a few hours via USB cable.

Another cool upgrade is motion detector technology in the GT-600 that automatically goes into sleep mode when movement stops for a prolonged period of time. This not only improves overall accuracy of your data (not factoring the time for rest breaks into your average speed, for example), but saves battery power as well. The GPS starts logging again automatically when motion is detected, so you don’t need to worry about pausing and restarting over the course of a long day. Memory capacity is a very generous 64MB, with storage space for more than 260,000 waypoints.

On the software side, the GT-600 comes with i-gotU Suite 3.0, featuring three different programs: @trip PC and Where I Am, similar to those used with the GT-120, and a new Sports Analyzer that provides in-depth activity data. All of these programs are fully interactive with Google Earth mapping, and download route information within seconds from the GT-600 when connected to your PC.


@trip PC (sample photo above, click to enlarge) is the same program described in my GT-120 review; it allows you to geotag photos & share 2D or 3D trip maps on Flickr or Picasa. If you’re so inclined, you can further share your files on social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter … but if you know me, this is the part where my eyes kind of glaze over. However, if social media’s your thing, I imagine this feature would be pretty cool. You can see an example of an uploaded file here (click on map view or 3D view) I did as part of my previous review.

Where I Am is another nifty program that allows you to place your current location on map from Google, Yahoo!, or Bing Maps, then get directions to nearby points of interest as you would when using these online mapping services ordinarily.


Sports Analyzer (see above, click to enlarge) is the GT-600’s new program, and combines Google Earth mapping with multiple route statistics including time, speed, distance, elevation, and calories burned (based on body data you enter beforehand). It includes an activity calendar that can be used as a training log, and multiple chart views for each workout including any combination of altitude, speed, or pace on one axis vs. time or distance on the opposite axis. Like the other two programs, the Sports Analyzer is extremely user-friendly and is a very nice addition to the GT-120 software.

Clearly, there are a lot of upgrades that make the GT-600 a very cool and convenient gadget to take along on all kinds of adventures. The price tag for this version is $120, which is quite an increase from the $70 GT-120, so whether the upgrades are worth the extra cost depends on how extensively you plan to use it. The less-expensive GT-120 is available here from Amazon.com, and the updated, more dynamic (and Windows 7-compatible) GT-600 is available at Amazon.com as well as other online vendors.

*Product provided by Mobile Action Technology
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Blues for the Blues

(Admin note: apologies in advance to those of you in various parts of the country experiencing record snowfall this week. Needless to say, I don't envy you one bit.)
**

When word came down last week that this April’s Diablo 50-mile race was officially cancelled, it took quite a bit of wind out of my sails in terms of finding motivation for training. I found out about the race on Friday, and had long runs planned for both weekend days – but on each of those mornings, as the alarm sounded, I felt very little compulsion to drag myself out into the cold darkness without some tangible long-range objective in mind. So ... I didn’t.

I was in something of a funk – so when the day warmed up a bit later, and my daughters asked me to take them bike riding, I knew just the place I wanted to go:

Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf isn’t nearly as big as its cousin up the coast in San Francisco, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in charm and tranquility. While it can get fairly overcrowded with tourists in the peak seasons, it remains one of the coolest spots in town for those impromptu beautiful days that occasionally catch everyone by surprise in the middle of winter. Last weekend featured just one of those days.


This section of the rec trail is the homestretch of the Big Sur Half-Marathon, but to my daughters who were racing off ahead of me, it’s merely a place to see some pretty boats and sleepy sea lions while cruising down the coastline. I followed behind them on rollerblades, suddenly realizing the days of my keeping pace with their bikes is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. One of those good news/bad news developments, I guess.


Our turnaround spot was Lover’s Point Park in Pacific Grove, a popular location for outdoor weddings under the eucalyptus trees, or for anyone who simply needs a mellow place to watch the day go by. The small beach area below – which is also the start area of September’s Triathlon at Pacific Grove – is often crowded with kids and sunbathers during the summer, but in January, you can practically have the place to yourself.


The return to Monterey mainly featured views like this: spectacular coastline to the left, clear skies overhead, and only a handful of tourists to maneuver around. In other words, pretty much perfect conditions.


Here’s how you know you’re having a good day: when neither you nor your daughters can decide which shade of blue – from the sky, the horizon, or the water in the bay – is the most brilliant. That’s the conversation the three of us we had while returning to the wharf, shortly before finding a private table on the pier and sharing one of our favorite specialties: clam chowder served in a sourdough bowl.

Afternoons don’t get much better than that … and it was certainly enough to make my morning blues go away.


*Postscript: this doesn’t mean I’m not still looking for another race to enter. Details TBA.

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The Barefoot Professor

Just when I think I’m ready to leave the whole barefoot debate alone for a while, something inevitably pulls me right back into the fray.

In response to posts over the past week – or maybe just because they know me – several people have e-mailed me links to articles, position papers, and studies about barefoot running. (All of which I appreciate, of course – by all means, keep them coming.) I also have something of a standing arrangement with a very nice Vibram rep who forwards me newsworthy items on a somewhat regular basis – and this week, she sent me links to an enlightening study recently published by Harvard professor Dr Daniel Lieberman, who is one of the preeminent researchers in the field of biological anthropology.

Although I had already read the published article, her e-mail included a link to a video component which I didn’t know existed, and which I’ve embedded below. So if you’re one of those “I really don’t have time to read a whole journal article … I wish someone could just boil it down to a polished 6-minute video for me to watch” kinds of people, today is your lucky day.

Included in her e-mail were some interesting points from Vibram CEO Tony Post that were distributed to the Vibram team, which I took the liberty of copying here as well:

*
I know you wanted me to keep you posted on studies about the potential benefits of running barefoot or minimally shod. After nearly two years of work, Dr. Lieberman’s research was published in NATURE magazine, recognized as one of the premiere scientific journals in the world. The research underwent extensive peer review before it was accepted for publication.

Dr. Lieberman is a well recognized figure in academia and biological anthropology. He believes this research can have serious implications in the field of public health — that by teaching people to run properly, we can reduce the number of injury related surgeries and keep people active, therefore reducing the rate of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Vibram also believes that this research is an important breakthrough in the field of public health, and we are fortunate to have this association with Dr. Lieberman and Harvard.

Many of our current and potential customers ask for the science that supports our claims about the benefits of minimally shod running. As we mentioned before, the study was funded in a small part by a Vibram grant to Harvard University. That said, Dr. Lieberman has been researching the evolution of man as a long distance runner and the potential benefits of barefoot running for several years. In fact, he began his research on barefoot running before he was contacted by Vibram.

Running barefoot or in Vibram FiveFingers may not be for everyone, but we believe that changing the way one runs to encourage a more natural forefoot strike is a healthier, better way to run.

*
So there you go. There’s obviously some biased interest on the part of Vibram, but it certainly pales in comparison to the forces stacked up against this kind of research. And I like how the company’s position isn’t particularly heavy-handed or evangelic; they’re mainly saying “Here’s some solid objective data that we think is pretty informative.” I happen to agree – and that’s why the video follows below.


"The Barefoot Professor", by Nature Video (click to play):

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Invisible Shoe Huarache Review

An interesting irony regarding the popularity of barefoot running and the Tarahumara Indians - who have become patron saints of sorts for the whole barefoot movement – is that very few people actually use the Tarahumara's typical footwear. We either embrace the natural aspect and go completely barefoot, or spend a lot of money on highly-engineered minimalist shoes that strive to be “better than barefoot” by offering some basic protection to complement all the biomechanical benefits of going shoeless.

But what if you really want to get in touch with your inner Tarahumara? Or what if you want wear something that mimics the native footwear of these indigenous people more authentically? That’s when you get yourself a pair of Invisible Shoes.

Invisible shoes!

Invisible Shoes are a 21st-Century spin on the traditional sandal worn by various tribes all over the world for thousands of years. They use modern materials to reproduce the look and feel of old-school huaraches, and they are so small and lightweight that it often seems like you’re not wearing anything at all.

The company was founded by Steven Sashen, a member of the very popular Boulder Barefoot Running Club (led by these guys), who started making his own huaraches with a Vibram outsole and thin rope cords. He set up shop on sidewalks near the University of Colorado (if you’ve ever been to Boulder, you know this is nothing unusual), and got a great response. Eventually most of the BBRC regulars were wearing Steven’s huaraches, and the business idea was born.

There’s a philanthropic side to the company as well: Invisible Shoes donates 10% of the profits from their custom made shoes to Norawas de Raramuri, a non-profit organization that was developed shortly after Caballo Blanco’s Copper Canyon Ultramarathon, whose origin was the centerpiece of Christopher McDougall’s best-selling Born to Run. Think of it as a way of paying tribute to the folks who inspired this whole craze, and of helping to support their culture’s long-term survivability.

Invisible Shoes are created by two methods: for $19.95, you can order a do-it-yourself kit consisting of a rectangular outsole and two 6’ laces, then follow the website instructions for assembly. You can also pay $49.95 to have Steven custom-make a pair for you. If you’re like me and are 1) way too busy, and 2) way too error-prone to try making your own huaraches, you should probably choose the custom-made option.

Initial blueprint for a custom-made huarache

Here’s how the process works: you draw an outline of your foot, then round out the contour lines and add a few hashmarks for strap placement. Fax the paper to Invisible Shoes, or scan it into your computer and send it attached to an e-mail. (There are very easy-to-follow video instructions for this step, as well as every other part of the process, on the Invisible Shoes website.) Choose the color of laces you want, and your order is complete.


A few days later, your sandals come in the mail with the outsole cut and the laces threaded through the toe and ankle holes. Next comes the trickiest step: figuring out how to lace the sandals up. The video instructional on the website makes this part easy to learn as well, and it now only takes me a few seconds to lace my sandals in a couple of different styles.

The start position for lacing

There are two primary methods of lacing: toga style that goes high around the ankle - my daughter calls this Jesus-style - or huarache style that stays low around the foot. The advantage of the huarache style is that it can be knotted and then used as a slip-on/off, so you don’t have to re-lace it every time. The disadvantage is that you don’t look like Jesus.



The outsole is a 4mm Vibram Cherry professional-grade rubber. It is smooth on the foot side, and patterned on the bottom for traction. They provide great traction on roads, concrete, and gentle trails. Running in them, I initially found that the section underneath my outer toes would sometimes drag along the ground, causing me to have an exaggerated foot-lift during my first few runs. As I’ve logged more miles in them, the outsole sticks to the bottom of my toes a bit better, so this isn’t much of an issue anymore on roads – but it’s enough of a question mark that I haven’t tried my huaraches on technical trails yet.

Each sandal weighs only about 4.5 oz, so it barely feels like there’s anything on your feet at all. The biggest comfort issue comes from the center strap between your first two toes, which takes a few lacing trials to find the ideal position and tightness. Once I figured out my ideal lacing, the center strap was noticeable for the first mile or two, but then I forgot all about it. I haven’t had any irritation between my toes, but this is a potential hazard if the shoes aren’t built properly (another reason I’d recommend the custom-made method).

Running like a Tarahumara! Well, sort of ...

Overall, running in my Invisible Shoes is really enjoyable – they maintain almost all of the fun barefoot feel, and give me enough protection to take on more challenging terrain than I might try with naked feet. I don’t think they’ll replace my Vibrams for long-distance minimalist running – especially on rugged trails – but I’ve found them a great accessory to maintain my barefoot running form on easy neighborhood runs of 4-5 miles.

Besides, anything that makes me look a little more like a Tarahumara is going to score pretty high marks in my book.



*Product provided by Invisible Shoes.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Tahoe Dreaming; Salomon SpeedCross2 Review

This weekend’s video post features a couple of marginally-related topics that eventually point to one of the few race commitments I’ve made so far this year. There’s also a product review for your perusal, but you’ll have to click away for it.

For several weeks I’ve been testing the Salomon SpeedCross2, the lightest shoe from a company that is making great strides in the world of elite trail running. I was originally going to include it here as part of the minimalist trail shoe series I’m cobbling together, but the shoe turned out to be a bit more substantial than I thought, so I punted the review over to FeedTheHabit.com. While it may not be a true minimal shoe, it’s actually one of the most comfortable and rugged shoes I’ve worn all winter, so the review is worth a look.

Staying on the subject of Salomon, I’m long overdue in posting an update on ultrarunning phenom Kilian Jornet, who I first mentioned here before his attempt to break the Tahoe Rim Trail circumnavigation record. Jornet is a Salomon guy, and the company has put together an extremely compelling video series on his exploits leading up to the Rim Trail run. Two of them are embedded below, and you can click here to watch the entire series at the Salomon Running website.

The first video clip features beautiful vistas above and around the lake, and also emphasizes just what a team effort this “solo” record attempt entails. Despite his remarkable physical gifts, Jornet depends heavily on pacers and a support crew to help him achieve success – making him just like every other ultrarunner in that regard. Another little perk of this video is the glimpses you get of several notable trail runners who showed up to help Kilian’s run, including a very talented blogger who accompanied him for part of the way.

"Kilian and Co", from Salomon Running (click to play):




The second installment is equal parts amusing and reverential. It consists mainly of evening scenes around the lake, along with several shots of Kilian NOT running. He’s sitting in a chair to eat, he’s curling up for a nap, he’s wandering off course in search of a lake … at times he seems more like a kid at adventure camp than a world-class ultrarunner. (That is, until you see his finishing time.) The clip concludes to the tune of a classic Negro spiritual, a fitting reflection of how places like Tahoe and runners like Kilian have the ability to lift up and inspire us – which again speaks to the very essence of ultrarunning.

"Hymn to the Rim", from Salomon Running (click to play):




As I mentioned, I’m fairly delinquent in discussing these videos that were first posted last fall; I was only reminded of them after concurrently doing the Salomon review and finalizing some race plans for the summer. I recently volunteered to be a pacer for my soul sister who will be attempting her second Tahoe Rim Trail 100-mile finish this July. (I did, however, leave her the option of dumping me for someone better as race day gets closer – I’m pretty liberal in my relationships that way.)

If it happens, it will be my first time on the Rim Trail, as well as my debut as a pacer - and it’s hard to say which part of that excites me more. If I can tap into even a small part of the mojo that I feel from watching these videos or reading Gretchen’s 2008 race report, I think the evening will be one of the highlights of my summer.

It’s also a good impetus to keep me training … because believe me, that girl is fast.

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