The Waugh Cloverleaf

I am tagging the Waugh Cloverleaf as both one of the Summits of Houston since it is a good little spot where you can add some hills into your training and as part of my Run This Town section, because I think it is an often overlooked little treasure in Houston running.

The Waugh Cloverleaf is an almost 1 mile loop with 2 nice little ascents and descents.  There are sections of sidewalk and pretty well worn path that go all the way around the inside of the loop.  The distance coupled with the fact that you never cross a road or have to deal with bikes and the fact that you are consistently either going uphill or downhill makes it an awesome tool to have in your running route selection/training arsenal.  I find it great for speed work (mile repeats on the cloverleaf are brutal/awesome), tempo runs, and for adding some bonus slightly more difficult miles into the middle of a long run if I am going to be passing by.  Living in a big flat city, there really aren't any places where you can have a long hilly run, but the cloverleaf allows you to run for as many miles as you want while constantly going up and down.  None of the climbs are significant and people from any place with real hills would laugh at it, but I guarantee if you aren't used to running hills and run a few laps of the cloverleaf you will feel it!

Stats:
Elevation:  15-20 feet of gain or loss on each hill (but there are 2 ups and 2 downs every mile).
Distance: Just under 1 mile (my GPS usually logs it at .97 miles)
Average Grade: 1.5% (a little steeper going around the loops, but it levels out in between the loops)

Location:
At the intersection of Memorial Drive and Waugh Dr (Heights Blvd turns into Waugh).  If you are driving there it is probably best to park at Spotts Park on Willia St.

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Run This Town

Running has allowed me to explore some incredible places over the years.  Many of those places come as no surprise, but I am often surprised by some of the things that I discover while running in my own "backyard."  One of the many great things about running is that it slows you down (some of us more than others) enough to be able look around and take in your surroundings while at the same time allowing you to get somewhere.  If you are willing or able to run for a few hours it is amazing what you can see.  I have been running around Houston for over 8 years now and am still discovering new trails and new sights.  One of the benefits of living in a big and dynamic city is that it is constantly changing, so if you think you have seen it all you just need to wait for a few weeks and something will have changed.

All of that is my way of introducing this section of the blog that I am calling "Run This Town."  I will occasionally post some of my favorite sights or routes to run from around the city.  I will try to focus on things you may have run by many times but missed or didn't know about, but will occasionally just post routes that I really enjoy.  So, keep an eye out for posts that are tagged Run This Town and hopefully you will begin to see why I think running in this city is so great.

Team Solomon Leadville 100 Video

With the Leadville Trail 100 kicking off this weekend and Ryan Sandes coming back to try for a second win I thought I would post a link to a video that Salomon made a few years ago about the race and about Ryan Sandes running it for the first time. 



It should be a good race with a pretty stacked field up front and quite a few local flatlanders headed up into the thin air to show just how tough we can be!  Here is a link to the iRunFar 2013 Leadville 100 preview.  Good luck to everyone out there!

Exploration

One of the many things that I enjoy about running is the opportunity to explore.  I feel like running and biking are two of the best ways to really explore your surroundings.  Biking allows you to cover more ground, have fewer aches and pains at the end of the day, and overall feel slightly more civilized.  However, the beauty of exploring on the run is that you don't need any special gear and you can do it anywhere.  You can run on-road or off-road and you can go places you may not make it with a bike.  If you are reasonably fit, you would be amazed at how much ground you can cover without even realizing it.  There is an incredible freedom in stepping out of the door without a direction or a goal (especially in a new place) and literally just going wherever the road takes you.  I have been fortunate in my life and career to have opportunities to travel all over the world.  Before I was a runner, I would often head out on walks from wherever I was staying and explore wherever city I was in and would often spend many hours exploring.  Once I started becoming a little more serious about running, I realized that the boundaries for my adventures could expand if I was on the run (and I could still be logging my long runs while I was traveling).  Sometimes I would find myself headed down some dusty dirt road to nowhere, while other times I was thrust into the middle of the city, dodging cars and people.  The cool thing is that either way I was there seeing things that I haven't seen before and experiencing a place in a way that I wouldn't be able to from the inside of a taxi cab or tour bus.  Sometimes, the people I was traveling with or my friends and family at home would express concern that I was off running around in unfamiliar places.  They would worry that it might be unsafe or people might hurt me, but what I have found though, is pretty much the opposite.  For the most part, people everywhere are pretty nice.  At worst they might be rude, but most are curious/friendly and the rest are indifferent.  Runners are pretty much non-threatening and as long as you act friendly/naïve 99% of the time you will be fine (in the other 1%, just run like hell).  And pretty much the same can be said for running the streets and trails around my house.  The great thing about this exploration is that it doesn't have to be in far off places.  Too many times you hear about people that always run the same route in the same direction every day.  It can be amazing what you discover in your own back yard it you just veer a little off of your normal path and open yourself up to an adventure.  Don't worry about how far it will be or where the next water fountain will be.  Rely in the fact that you are fit enough to cover whatever distance you want and that it is okay to bonk or get dehydrated - it is all part of the adventure!

Attitude and Altitude

Attitude:

After my recent success at embracing the crapiness of yoga, I thought I would try to apply this “life lesson” to other activities I dislike. One such activity is running in the heat. Sara sometimes teases me about the fact that I come back from pretty much every run during the summer totally defeated and declaring “that was the worst run ever!” Even though I say that every day, I pretty much mean that every day. I DESPISE running in the heat. Living in Houston, this means that I despise portions of almost every day for about a 4-6 month period every year. Certainly room for improvement there... Which brings me to Altitude.

Altitude:

One thing Houston is decidedly lacking is altitude. I live in an area of town known as “The Heights,” which means that while the rest of the city is about 20ft above sea level, I live in the rarefied air up at about 40ft above sea level. This is fine as long as you never want to run anywhere other than at sea level or never want to be even remotely competitive if you race anywhere else. Not that I have any delusions of being competitive, but sometimes I get frustrated by the idea that people that live in higher elevations are essentially getting some aerobic benefit “for free.” They get to be inherently fitter than me just by living somewhere. It is like a free performance enhancing drug….that is legal (and don’t we all want to be able to be faster without working at it)! That makes me jealous. But then I read this; an article from the New York Times that expounds on the benefit of training in the heat and compares that to altitude training. Stop the presses! If there is one thing Houston does have it is HEAT (just ask anyone that has ever lived here or visited between the months of May-September). It turns out that many of the physiological responses to altitude and heat are similar. You can get some of the benefits from training in the heat, and maybe even slightly better benefits. And then it occurred to me: Stop dwelling on how much you hate running in the heat and how bad your performance is….. and think of it like altitude training! There are runners in other places that spend every spare weekend headed for the high country trying to get in altitude training, but for 5 months of the year I get a free unlimited supply of heat (fake altitude) right outside my door. It is funny how that one mental association (heat = altitude) has changed my outlook on summer running. After 7 years of dreading summers and complaining about my crappy runs in the heat, I now find myself looking forward to my runs in the heat. It may not be quite the same or come with the majestic views of snow-capped peaks, but it isn’t all bad either. And, I think it really gets to the heart of what it is to be a runner in a big flat city (an urban flatlander)…. The idea that the “mountains” are here, we just have to use a little creativity to see them!

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why The Oatmeal Runs Long Distances

Absolutely every person who has ever run a half marathon or longer has, at some point, been asked why they run.  A casual browse of the internet will lead you to any number of blog posts and articles on this subject.  Some are profound and well thought out, some are witty, some are trite, some are sarcastic, some are rude or elitist, but most of them touch on a few similar points and ultimately start to blend together a little (not to take away from them - many are great articles, they just tend to blur together).
Well, recently, a friend of mine sent me a link to what has to be one of the most memorable and creative versions of the "why I run" story.  It is funny, sincere, and all around fantastic.  It comes to us by way of The Oatmeal (turns out he is an ultrarunner - which makes him even more great).  The article is entitled :

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

Go check it out.  It is AWESOME!

Sagely Advice on How to Crew an Ultrarunner from Pam Smith

Here is just about the most awesome, funny, and on-point advice I have ever heard for people who are crewing an ultrarunner (especially in hot conditions).  It comes from the incredible Pam Smith's (recent winner of Western States 100) Western States 100 race report on iRunFar.  This was what Pam told her race crew:

"treat me like a Porn Star: keep me wet, keep me lubed, and keep me excited."

(it must have worked, because she really nailed it that day....)
Now, how can you not love this sport!

Surfside Bridge

 

I am dedicating the first of my Summits of Houston posts to the Surfside Bridge.  The surfside bridge is probably my favorite "hill" in the Houston area.  It is one of the longest and most sustained climbs you can get (which isn't saying much) and it has some pretty great views of the Gulf of Mexico from the top.  The bridge has a nice shoulder for almost the entire way, so you don't feel to cramped with the cars. It only takes about an hour to get there from downtown, which really isn't that bad.  There is a nice gas station at the bottom of the bridge that has restrooms and a good selection of options for refueling and rehydrating.  And, the best part is....when you are done you can walk over to Surfside beach and go for a dip in the ocean!

Stats:
Elevation: around 75 feet of gain and loss
Distance: about .75 miles to go from one side to the other
Average grade: around 3.5% (no too steep, but enough that you feel it)

This means that 1 lap of the bridge (over and back) nets you about 150 feet of climb (and 150 feet of descent).  So in 7 laps you can pick up 10.5 miles and around 1000 feet of vertical.

Location:
On Hwy 332 in between Freeport and Surfside Beach (about 1 hour south of Houston off of Hwy 288). 

View Larger Map

Summits of Houston

Like the title of the blog says, "The hills are here, we just have to use a little creativity to see them."  Believe it or not, there are places in and around Houston where creative and eager runners can find a little vertical.  So, I am dedicating this section of the blog to places around town (and relatively nearby) where you can put some elevation into your run.

Look for posts tagged with "Summits of Houston" by clicking on the Summits of Houston link at the top of the page...... I will be gradually updating this section as I can.

Rob Krar and the unknown

One of the great things that I love about ultra running is the discovery of pushing your body and mind to places you have never been before and to places you sometimes aren't even sure you can go.  I feel like in most other sports by the time a competition comes there has been so much practice and repetition that you enter the game not worrying about if you will finish, but much more concerned with how you will perform.  However, with ultras, the distances can be so vast and the terrain and conditions so difficult that even veteran runners are often unsure if they will finish, let alone how well they will perform.  There is something magical to me about this act of discovery.  It is exciting to step to the line of a new race or new distance not knowing what to expect.  Another benefit of the fact that every race has an element of unknown is the fact that it leads to more competition and a more level playing field.  The unknown makes it hard for one individual to dominate the sport.  There are a number of elites that consistently perform well, but there are not really any "superstars" that are head and shoulders better than the competition.  A wonderful reminder of this discovery of the unknown happened just this weekend when Rob Krar, a man who had never run 100 miles before, got second place in the Western States 100 (the premier, and arguably one of the most competitive 100 milers in the world).  He had a strong running background and has done some amazing things, but never having attempted the distance before, was able to outrun many of the best runners in the world and ultimately discover what he was capable of.  There are not many sports where this could have happened.  Certainly not in most professional sports could a relatively unknown person who has never competed in that event before earn a podium spot at one of the biggest competitions.  It is this act of discovery where we push past what we know and begin to explore what is possible and the knowledge that each of us have some hidden potential that I really love about this sport.

Want to know more about Mr Krar?  Here is a good article over on iRunFar:
http://www.irunfar.com/2013/06/rob-krar-in-pursuit-of-speed-smarts-but-not-superstition.html

400 Meters of AWESOME!

 This is "The Steepest Race in Europe" - The Red Bull 400 Planica.  It looks terrible and awesome all at the same time.  I wonder how long it would take my flatland legs to get me to the top.

Yoga and Attitude

Background:

I almost always have good intentions when it comes to stretching, but laziness or impatience usually kick in.  The net result of this is that I wind up only stretching about 1-2 times a week for only about 15 minutes each time.  I have a love/hate relationship with stretching.  I recognize the benefits, but dislike the process, and I have never been flexible.  I always got screwed in the President’s Fitness Challenge in elementary school.  I would sail through all of the requirements until I got to the dreaded sit-and-reach.  This was always frustrating/embarrassing since all of the girls could reach a full hands-length below their feet while I struggled to get my hands past my knees.   Lately, I have been feeling that my lack of flexibility is contributing to various little injuries that keep cropping up and has been potentially hindering my performance.  With that in mind, and my general reluctance to stretch, I decided to sign up for one month of Yoga classes.  Since the 1 month pass is for “unlimited” classes, my goal would be to try to go at least 5 times per week.  I figured that going to a class will force me to stretch for a full hour and build strength in a bunch of mostly neglected muscles.  Prior to embarking on my 1 month yogathon, I had been to maybe 1 or 2 yoga classes and had decided that yoga pretty much sucks, a lot…. Which brings me to Attitude.

Attitude:

                  I can summarize my dislike of yoga by saying that all of the poses are uncomfortable/hurt, even the so-called “easy” or “resting” poses.  In addition to that (and probably more significantly), I don’t like being bad at things.  It is frustrating to watch people do things that I can’t do, and to do them seemingly without effort.  I always think to myself that “I must be working harder than they are” or “there is no way they are suffering as much as I am” when, in reality, they are likely thinking the same things or have at some point.  I am sure that everyone experiences this in whatever it is that they are pursuing from music, to sports, to knitting, but it still sucks.  So, as I have been taking my yoga classes, I have been finding myself dwelling on these negative thoughts.  Thinking about how stupid I must look, or how much harder I must be working than other people (if they only knew…), how I wish yoga studios weren’t so hot, how I wish we didn’t waste so much time on “focusing on our inner light” and other more spiritual matters and just got to stretching (I am not really in the mood to be relaxed and contemplative at 6:00 AM.  If I am going to get up early I want it to be doing something, otherwise I should have just slept in!).  What I have realized is that, despite the yoga instructor’s clear instructions to relax and focus on the present, I fester and dwell on the negative.  So, the other day I decided to stop this.  Stop focusing on the negative and just try to embrace the experience.   If I stop dwelling on the parts I don’t like I may have time to savor the parts I do like.  And it has worked, for the most part.  Yoga still isn’t my favorite thing to be doing at 6:00AM (or any other time of the day), but I am able to appreciate the experience and focus on the benefits (both physical and mental).  I have even found myself looking forward to it – not so much for the yoga, but for the chance to practice living in the moment….to practice getting stronger, physically, but, more importantly, mentally.

About Me

          

My name is Daniel Murphy.  I live in Houston, Texas.  I began running in 2005 when I decided that I would train for my first marathon. Since then, I have run numerous races on the roads and on the trails from distances ranging from the beer mile to 100 miles. I love running and the community of runners that I have the privilege to be a part of. For me running is about much more than just the fitness or the times on my watch. It is about the people, the adventures, the challenges, and the good times that inevitably ensue.

The Crowds I Run With

These are the groups that I have trained or run with:

 

http://www.runnershighclub.com/

http://willshills.net/

http://texasadventureracingclub.com/

 

Feel free to look us up and come out for a run!

My Gear

Here is a list of the gear that I use on most of my runs and some of my thoughts on that gear.  I am not specifically advocating any of the gear, just sharing my opinions and preferences.

GPS:
Garmin Forerunner 305 - I have had this watch for over 3 years now and have been very happy with it.  It is kind of big and clunky, but it works well and was cheap (compared to other GPS watches).  I use the heart-rate monitor on most of my runs and really love this feature.  I like that the battery lasts for over 10 hours, which makes it good for ultras.  Even though it is billed as not being water proof, it is continually drenched in my sweat, I have dunked the watch more than a few times, and worn it in heavy rain without ever having issues.  The watch does occasionally lock up, but a hard reset has fixed it every time.

Hydration:
CamelBak Quick Grip handheld water bottle - I have a few of these bottles and love them  This is my main hydration for almost any run where I carry water (for long runs I even carry 2).  They are insulated and keep your drink cold pretty well.  I like the "jet valve" on top.  It doesn't require any twisting or biting and it doesn't really leak.  One drawback is that the pocket on the hand strap is pretty small and is really only big enough for 1 gel (you can squeeze 2 in but it is really tight).

Nathan HPL #020 race vest - I don't typically wear a hydration pack, but when I need to carry a little extra water and gear I will wear this one.  I love the way it fits and love the pockets in front for quick access to gear or food.  It doesn't bounce or wiggle and I can wear it all day without chafing.  I have even worn it with no shirt for over 10 hours and not had any issues.  I also like that the bladder opens up wide and is easy to fill with ice (and easy to clean).

Light:
AyUp headlamp- I LOVE this light.  It is kind of pricey, but it rocks the party (and lights it up like daytime).  My opinion is that the more light you have the faster you can run (or bike) at night.  I have an older model that is 350 lumens and I have the half-epic battery pack.  On high it lasts for about 3 hours, on low it will last around 8 (I have friends that have newer ones and theirs don't last quite as long).  I don't mind wearing a headlamp and think this is perfectly comfortable.  I have worn it all night long a few times and never had issues.  It is good for running, biking, adventure racing, and more.

Shoes:
This could easily be an entire post or series of posts, so I will just keep it very brief here.  As a quick background I have a wide foot and tend to over-pronate.

Road Shoes:
Nike Structure Triax - I have probably owned 10+ pairs of various versions of these shoes and have been wearing them for most of my running career.  This are my old faithful companions.
Brooks Pure Cadence 2 - The newest addition to my "stable".  I am really starting to like them a lot.  The lower drop has taken some getting used to, but they are light, comfy, and make me want to go fast!
Hoka Stinson Evo Tarmac - Still not sure what to think of these shoes.  I tried on all of the different Hoka models and these were the only ones that seemed to fit my foot.  I only wear them occasionally on easy or recovery days.  I just don't think they are right for me.

Trail Shoes:
New Balance Leadville 1210 - I have only had this shoe for a little while, but I am really loving it.  My favorite trail shoe so far (for longer distances).  Did Hell's Hills 50 miler in them pretty much right out of the box and they held up a lot better than I did!
New Balance MT110 - I bought these because Academy had them on sale for $30 and have wound up really liking them (and bought a second pair).  I use these for shorter trail runs and races.  They are perfect for the Tour de Bayou cross country races.

Clothes:
I don't really have any strong preferences here.  I like shorts with lots of pockets, and I wear shirts from races (when I wear a shirt).  I am also not that picky on socks.  I prefer thicker socks and have been happy with the pairs of Wright Socks and Drymax socks that I have.

...and don't forget the BodyGlide.  No, seriously, Don't Forget It!  You will regret it!