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New blog host!

runalong@charter.net — 2008-01-07T12:33:22-08:00

OK, after examining my options I was much more impressed with blogspot than I thought I would be. So please link to my new site:

ultrapastor.blogspot.com

I still haven't added all the features and options that I want to (including links), but I'll be posting more frequently since blogspot is about, oh, 17 zillion times faster than RapidWeaver. There won't be any more updates to this site but it will stay up semi-indefinitely for those of you who are looking for the Europe, Swiss or Haute Route pics (just keep scrolling).

Runalong is moving!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T08:18:22-08:00

Well, duh; I wouldn't be "runalong" if I stopped moving now, would I?

But I'm going to be changing blog software and my blog address sometime in the next two weeks. This site will remain open for awhile to direct folks (both of you) to my new site. I'll be glad to be rid of Rapid Weaver, whose slowness and buggishness have been two of my main reasons/excuses for blogging so sparingly as of late.

Stay tuned for details.

Muir Beach 50K

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T07:59:26-08:00

So, first my life was upended by the installation of new wood floors, requiring us to abandon our kitchen and living room for a couple weeks. Well worth it, I might add!

Then I got sick. Not just the usual bothersome cold, but the knock-me-down and confine-me-to-quarters-for-several-days sort of "cold" like I haven't suffered through in a decade or more. No running for Markie! (No blogging either, in case you didn't notice: Sorry, but when I get sick I just have nothing to say).

Last Monday I woke up feeling OK but a little blah. I headed out for my first run in ten days and it wasn't bad. And when I got home the blahs were gone. That blah feeling? I remember that. It's how I used to feel all the time before I started running. Back then I wouldn't have called it blah, I just thought it was normal. It only seems blah in comparison to how I feel most of the time now. New Year's Resolution anyone?

Tuesday morning I woke up with sore quads (quadriceps are the big muscles in the front of your thighs, the ones that hurt after a lot of downhill running). Sore quads after an easy, flattish 6-mile jog? Not good! My main objective this fall has been to toughen up my quads in preparation for the 24,000 feet of steep downhill running at the HURT 100 next month.

OK, they'll get better after a few days, right? Wrong. I ran 10 miles Tuesday and they got worse. Cut back to 7 miles Wednesday- no better. 12 miles Thursday and on Saturday morning I found myself lined up at Muir Beach for a 50K with over 7000 feet of steep downhill running. Leaving my motel that morning my quads were burning as I walked downstairs. A little soreness the day after the race would be fine, but not at the starting line!

I started out slow, just hoping to be able to finish (before the day was over I would see lots of people walking slowly and painfully down hills, their quads blown out by the previous miles). The fact that my lungs weren't yet clear of residual gunk didn't help either.

Headed out slow, talked with some old friends along the way, took it easy as planned. The quads hurt, but not a lot, and they never got any worse. About eight miles in I found myself running along a ridge, with Hwy 101 and the Golden Gate Bridge and SF skyline below me and to my left, as I chased Santa Claus.

I eventually passed him, wondering how in the world he was going to get all those presents delivered in one night if he couldn't even keep up with me, and found myself finishing the first loop (33K) in 3:51. That would have been good for 23rd place out of the 78 runners who chose the 33K option, but I still had a 17K loop to go. Since I've run this race twice before and my previous best time was 6:08, I realized I had a decent chance for a PR for the course and a sub-six-hour finish. I wished I hadn't spent so much time on the first loop standing arond chatting and such at aid stations, and off I went on loop two.

Despite my handicaps, I finished in 5:56 (same time as at Quad Dipsea three weeks ago), with quads intact (yes, they are quite sore today, but not as bad as I expected) with a new confidence for HURT (it's always a good feeling when you hand Santa his butt on a platter!). Apparently all those extra miles this fall are doing some good. I'll be pushing it hard now for two more weeks before tapering.

Breath of Heaven

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T07:56:57-08:00

For your Christmas enjoyment, my daughter has a lovely ASL interpretation of the Amy Grant song on YouTube. Check it out...

David's Got a Brand New Blog.

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T07:51:47-08:00

I'm sure most of you remember the classic rock song by that name. Well, the hit tune has now been made into a real blog! David is a professional writer so don't expect any of the trivial drivel you find here at Runalong. Lots of Harry Potterish insights though, from an evangelical Christian perspective:

Moral Imagination Now

Faith and Politics

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T07:44:55-08:00

A lot of nonsense is being written, but this article by Rod Dreher is well-worth reading.

He makes a point about Mormonism that I have been waiting for someone to make, then he goes on to explain, correctly, that this is not a reason to not vote for Romney (though there ARE other reasons not to!):

2. Anyway, the Latter-day Saints church teaches that all other Christian churches are apostate. A heretic is someone who rejects one or more doctrines of religion, but an apostate is someone who has rejected the religion entirely. How is it, exactly, that you can get mad when people you regard as apostates consider you to be ... apostate? How does that work?

Indoor Trail Running?

runalong@charter.net — 2007-12-17T07:40:03-08:00

I thought, "what a dumb idea." However, on further review, I hope this is a big seller this Christmas. It's the next best thing to being there.

(Click on the pic for the link to the video).

Recent runs

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-27T11:00:27-08:00

I finally uploaded pics from some recent runs. The first is Boulder Creek Falls. If you notice that nice log sticking out over the pool at the base of the falls, I might warn you to be careful if you decide to walk out on it. The second picture is taken as I am falling off its slippery surface.

And this is the view of the Sacramento River from the cool new Hornbeck trail in Redding that I ran a couple weeks ago...

Quad Dipsea

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-27T10:44:12-08:00

The Dipsea is a famous and popular 7.1 mile race from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach each June. It includes nearly 2500 feet of ascending and descending and is so steep that there are 676 steps built into the trail. The Quad Dipsea, as you might guess, goes there and back and there and back. Having run 20 miles, including a 6 mile race, on Thursday, I wasn't out for a fast time, just to get some good hill training in before my upcoming 100 miler in January. Before the race Dave Combs asked me what my expectations were and I answered, "Have a good time, take some pictures, finish in under six hours." At this race I met all my goals! (You can see the official results here).

I finished in 5:55, putting me safely in the top third of entrants, and had a fun and enjoyable, almost even easy, day. My split times for the four legs of the race were 90-90-89-86. My Quads were sore on Sunday and Monday, but not too bad, indicating that I should be able to handle HURT's 24,000 feet of descent in 8 weeks.

Someone took a video of runners crossing the river: pretty boring unless you know some of these folks, but that's me stopping to take a picture at 7:23 into the video. The picture I took is just below. Yes, at mile 2 I was already seven minutes behind the leader, Eric Skaggs, who finished the race in less than four hours (eight minutes per mile average!)- amazing considering how slow the stairs are- both up and down.

Gutsy girl!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-26T10:16:03-08:00

At the Quad Dispsea I saw a girl of about 18-20 years hobbling down the long steep steps toward the beach, crying and wincing everytime she put weight on her right leg. It reminded me of this amazing recent story and video.

Every day is an ultramarathon...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-26T10:12:05-08:00

...for this guy. What an amazing story!

Huckabee?

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-26T10:09:50-08:00

I'm starting to take a fresh look at him after reading this article.

Other guys run with the big dogs...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-26T10:02:59-08:00

... and here I am trotting with the turkeys!

I ran the "six" mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving with nearly 700 other folks, including my middle daughter and Mrs Runalong. The babes were just hoping to break 90 minutes but they ran sub 12 minute miles and both finished in 1:08 and change. I was shooting for 45 minutes, having run it in around 43 minutes, several years ago. It's been a long time since I ran a race shorter than a marathon.

It was fun for about a mile and the rest of the way I just wanted it to be over. I was talking to friends when the gun went off and started near the back of the pack, forced to walk and pick my way through several hundred recreational runners for the first (slow) mile; then I picked it up to about a 7:40 pace. At the mile 5 marker I realized I would have to run the last mile under 6 minutes to break 45 so I eased off a little. Imagine my surprise when, as I approached the finish, the clock read 45:03... 45:04...

Turns out the last "mile" was only 0.75 so I could have broken 45, albeit on a short course. I also ran to the course and back home again for a total of 19 or so miles for the day. Ted snapped my pic at the finish:

German Artist

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-26T09:59:15-08:00

Our daughter is a short-term missionary in the Black Forest. She recently bought some new winter clothes and painted a flower on her wall. She doesn't get her talent from me!

And here's the dorm where Becky works and lives (view from the back):

Every boy needs a dump truck

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-19T12:47:00-08:00

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OK TO KISS SOMEONE?
The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

Boldly running where no man has...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-19T12:39:18-08:00

A new trail just opened northwest of town. I came across it by chance and checked it out (8 mile loop with nice views of the Sac River) and that left me running back to my car via the power line roads around dusk. One of the few local residents saw me and told me to be careful, they've had mountain lion problems in the area. Did I make it out alive? Tune in next week to...

OK, not much suspense, eh? I don't know why, it always works on "24" even though we always know Jack is going to survive.

Anyway, no cougars, but I did see a bear as I neared civilization.

I've done about 500 miles in the last 9 weeks, a lot for me (hard core ultrarunners would laugh). I'm feeling good and looking forward to the six-mile Turkey Trot this Thursday (my first "short" race in years) and the 28.4 mile, 10000 feet of climbing (and 10K descending with a total of over 2500 stairsteps) Quad Dipsea next Saturday.

Deconstruction

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-19T12:37:43-08:00

My house is torn apart, in a manner of speaking, as we are putting in new flooring in the kitchen, living room and dining room (aka "Blogging Central"). Thus, not much blogging until all the king's horses and all the king's men do their thing.

Dave Barry- Runalong Condensed Version

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-19T08:48:22-08:00

16 RULES THAT TOOK ME NEARLY 60 YEARS TO LEARN by Dave Barry

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

13. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

16. Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes; and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Chuckabee

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-19T08:46:42-08:00

Lugano and Mount Bre

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-05T21:53:05-08:00

One of our favorite places in Switzerland was Lugano (near Italy) and one of our favorite hikes was the hike up Mount Bre. We took the funincular part way up and climbed from there. It was a big long loop on a warm day, but worth it! Afterwards we had a meal at the most beautiful cafe in the world (IMHO).

Spirituality vs Religion

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-05T21:49:10-08:00

The ultrarunners group got into a rare discussion of spiritual issues recently. I stayed out of it until some misconceptions about "spirituality" vs "religion" cropped in. I wrote the following and to my surprise it had its intended effect as numerous runners wrote back to thank me for giving them a new perspective to consider...

I've been trying to stay out of this, but one small factual correction. This is a common misconception:
Spirituality is a goal. Religion is a means to it.

Spiritually and religion both have the same goal: a right relationship with God/god (however defined).

The difference is this:
Religion is when you do it in community, with others (think: Francis of Assisi)
Spirituality is when you do it by yourself, your way (think: Frank Sinatra)

America is highly individualistic and thus Americans tend to prefer "spirituality". Numerous sociologists have analyzed this phenomenon. We tend to look at various belief systems, pick and choose different elements like at a buffet, and create our own customized personal religion: this is spirituality (as distinct from religion). A little Buddha, a pinch of Jesus, a cup of Ayn Rand, a smidge of yoga, a dollop of Oprah, a bowl of organic food and there you go- your own personal faith-system! Spirituality generally makes no claims to present universal truth about anything (God, humans, right and wrong, etc); it's about "what's true for me" and what makes me FEEL spiritual. If any parts of it ever start to make you feel uncomfortable you can just chuck them and replace them with others (unless it is a nice warm "spiritual" sort of uncomfortableness).

Religion is messy. You have to deal with other people. It's called "organized religion" (disparagingly) because doing things with other people always requires a certain amount of "organization" - easily avoided if you keep your spirituality as a strictly private matter. Common and shared beliefs and practices require not doing everything your own way, submitting to ancient traditions and teachings, etc. "Submission" is historically at the very core of religion and is probably the main reason most Americans don't cotton to it. The beliefs of religion are considered by believers to be either universally true (as in Christianity) or at least binding on the community of faith (as in Judaism). Within religion, personal spirituality is considered a subset, not a substitute.

The Road to HURT

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-05T21:43:14-08:00

The HURT 100 mile race is in January with 24,000 feet of climbing and just as much descending. Historically only about 25% of those starting the race have finished and only a half-dozen or so in my age group have ever finished. There are roots and rocks and mud and steep hills and drop-offs, and frequently rain, but what trips most people up isn't the roots and rocks but the 36 hour time limit.

My training is going well, October was my third highest mileage month ever (though at 239, not that high by ultra-runner standards) and I got some speedwork and hill training in. I'll be looking to do more miles, more hills and more speedwork in November. The Quad Dipsea should help with the hillwork.

Stupid RapidWeaver!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-11-05T21:41:21-08:00

I don't like this blogging program at all. It has been slow and buggy since I started using it. I much preferred iBlog, but when it got all weird on me I couldn't get any technical support to fix it and so switched to RW. It just "ate my homework" again after I spent half an hour doing this week's entries. Maybe I'll just have to switch to Blogger.

Engadine Valley & Swiss NP

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-29T09:29:04-07:00

There are four major language groups in Switzerland, the smallest of which is found in the southeast part of the country between Italy and Austria. The language is Romansch and we found this to be an area of lovely towns virtually undiscovered by American tourists. Of course that meant that language was a bit of a problem but most hotel and restaurant folks spoke just a wee bit of English, so we got by.

It was our first, but by no means last, experience of detraining in a town where we had no reservations. I left the girls with our bags and wandered around Zernez checking for an affordable but decent place. The hostels were not up to our standards, but I found a nice, almost deserted, family run hotel for $40 per person per night (breakfast included). Throughout the trip, we never did have a problem finding an affordable place to stay.

Zernez is also just north of the Swiss National Park, the only national park in Switzerland, and the only area preserved in its natural state (most of Switzerland is given over to small farms and ranches or "alps", as they call them. It turns out that in its natural state, Switzerland looks a lot like California or Colorado. We took a bus and got out just south of the park; my faithful companions hiked back partway with me, including a summit, and then caught another bus back to town. I continued over another ridge and hiked back to our hotel thus successfully crossing the SNP from south to north. Woo-hoo!

I got snowed on, rained on, hailed on, blown around and saw an ibex and a herd of chamoix.

Unhinged Atheists

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-29T09:25:16-07:00

Who scares you more? Religious believers or the "new atheists"?

A professing non-believer makes the case that the latter are both more worrisome and less persuasive than the former.

Foretaste

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-26T13:56:32-07:00

As I said last week, some days I feel really good during my run and sometimes I feel old. The days I feel old are a harbinger of mortality and as such, are probably spiritually useful (silver lining and all that rot).

The days that I feel really good are spiritually useful also. For they are also harbingers, harbingers of immortality. When I'm running a long or tough course and all is clicking and I seem to be temporarily transcending my bodily limitations I get a three-dimension, all-five-sensual taste of what heaven will be like in my new sin-and-death-and-curse free body. It's one thing to know such things intellectually, but to actually be able to FEEL, coursing through my whole body, a sample of what that will be like is truly, in the most literal sense, glorious. And faith-building: it makes it a lot easier to rejoice that my real home is in heaven and that this world and this life will soon pass away.

Caveat: If you'd like to try this experiment at home- be forewarned: it takes a while to get there. But it's worth it.

Fire!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-23T23:09:03-07:00

My dad lives in Escondido, and has chronic lung problems, but fortunately he is in the midwest at the moment. The "Witch" fire has burned to within a few miles of his home but apparently hasn't moved much closer today. Most of the houses burned in Escondido are at the opposite end of the city. My sister lives east of San Diego, but hasn't had to evacuate yet.

Our assistant pastor, Bob, is a volunteer with the fire department and is currently in southern California with a Redding crew.

Prayers are appreciated, on all fronts.

Here's what it looks like from the satellite:

A "feel good" story

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-23T13:52:15-07:00

I've been feeling REALLY good lately. I wish I knew what caused it so I'd know what to do to keep it going. When I say that I've been feeling good, you have to understand that I never really know how well I'm feeling until I go out for a run.

Generally, I almost always feel pretty good. Not much detectable difference from day to day. But when I go out for my run, some days I feel great and some days I feel old and some days are average. I never know until I get out there.

The last two months I've been consistently feeling great. Even the week after a grueling 50 mile race!

How good? I've never felt this good, this consistently, in the ten years I've been running. Yesterday I zipped up and down South Fork in 85 degree heat and it didn't even seem hard (seven miles and 2000' climb to the top, then down).

I'm starting to ramp up my training for the HURT 100 in January, so this is happening at a most propitious time!

Runalong: The Fund

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-23T13:49:55-07:00

I've got a virtual mutual fund I "manage" over at Marketocracy. You can click here to see how I'm doing.

Of course I wouldn't be telling you about this if I wasn't doing phenomenally well.

Switzerland: Alpenzell to Wildhaus

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-22T20:48:27-07:00

Our first hike was an overnighter from Wasserauen (near Alpenzell) to Wildhaus via Megaslip & Falensee. After days of rain and iffy forecasts we were happy to see the hike begin under partly cloudy skies and warm temps. Little did we know. This was our break-in/ shake-down hike but it turned out to be pretty challenging. Mrs R complained, "you didn't break us in, you broke us!" but I ignored her.

The first section took us uphill to Sealspee where we got some fresh milk at a little dairy; then a challenging and gnarly, but beautiful climb up to Megaslip where the weather got a little more ominous. For some strange reason, the girls wanted to stop here, but we pushed on, er, up, to Wilderalp Pass 3000+ feet altitude above our starting point. Then a muddy downhill through a ranch and down to Fallensee. We stayed in a barn loft above dairy cows. Bad news: It stunk of dairy cows. Good news: There were 60 mats in the loft, but we were the only ones there. We had homemade macs and cheese for dinner and bread, cheese, milk and chocolate for breakfast. I slept well until they started bringing the cows in for milking at 5.

The next day started out on the up-and-up, in the fog and through some snow in poor visibility. Miraculously, when we reached the top (Zwingli Pass; another 2000' climb); the sky cleared and the sun came out and we enjoyed beautiful weather and views on the way down, and down, and down.

St Gallen and Stein Am Rhein

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-15T09:55:12-07:00

Back to Switzerland! I've shown you our pics from the 100+ mile Haute Route but our other two weeks were nearly as magnificent. We started out tamely, doing the tourist thing for a couple days before our first hike. The first two pics take you from the sublime (the Protestant Cathedral in SG was absolutely stunning) to the ridiculous (the tiny little stainless steel public potty saved space by having you do everything in one basin- including washing and drying (OK, above the basin, not actually in it). The other three pics are from the beautiful little town of Stein Am Rhein- the monastery, downtown and um, well, I just liked the blue paint on the last building.

DC 50

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-15T09:47:49-07:00

Determined to best my time of 9:41 from back when I was a young lad of 40-something, I started out the race at a blistering (for me) 11 minute per mile pace. I managed to maintain that for the first 26 miles up and down the east Bay hills, through the mud (it poured Friday) and was actually passing runners steadily despite starting faster than I prefer.

The next four miles are all uphill and took an hour, then I got back to my 11 minute pace for the remainder of the journey. The last six miles were absolutely miserable as my legs were shot (tingly and crampy and exhausted) and the heat (near 80) was making me woozy and dizzy. Plus I had to run this section at a ten minute pace to finish under 9:30. Despite the fact that three people passed me in the last mile (Bummer! - no one had passed me for the last 30-some miles), I finished in 9:27, utterly spent. If suffering and self-discipline build character, then I'm a real character!

Running through the Redwood and Eucalyptus groves and past the viewpoints of San Francisco added highlights to what was otherwise a tough day at the office. Today I feel like that guy from Petticoat Junction ("and there's Uncle Joe, he's a-movin' kind of slow at the Junction").

After the turnaround I saw Helen Klein, she was in last place (she was at mile 22, I was at 31) with two bloody knees and no chance of making the cut-off at mile 26. Still she had plenty of time to finish those last four miles to the cutoff in less than an hour which would have given her a sub-seven-hour finish for a tough hilly trail marathon. Not bad for an 84-year old!

A one-eyed man in the land of the blind.

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-11T14:42:14-07:00

My friend, Peter Fish, is 71, so when he begins a sentence by saying, "It hasn't been a good year for me healthwise," I prepare myself for bad news. But he's an ultrarunner, so bad news is relative. He went on to mention that, nevertheless, he's still able to run about 50 miles a week.

People hear that I run ultras and sometimes they just burst right out: "Are you crazy?!!"

Yeah - crazy like a Fish!

John Tierney chews the fat

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-09T09:29:45-07:00

Tierney is a contrarian science columnist. I like that since most scientists are sheep. Fact is, no one can keep up with everything in every specialty so most people, including scientists and doctors, rely on what "experts" in other sub-fields say. One expert speaks, thousands follow and pretty soon you have a "scientific consensus" based on the flimsiest of foundations.

Nutritionists are the absolute worst. "Baaaaa!" You have to drink eat glasses of water a day. Don't eat eggs. And what could be more obvious than the obvious: Fat makes you fat. Or does it?

It was the best of times...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-09T09:17:39-07:00

"My life is good and getting better all the time. But life in the US is bad and getting worse." So says almost everyone who lives in the USA.

Michael Medved blames the media. And who can blame him?

Chicago Marathon

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T13:38:19-07:00

This is one marathon I would like to run someday since I'm from the Chicago area. It's a fast course so my (tentative) plan is to run it in October '09 and qualify for Boston the following spring. Since I turn 55 in '09 the qualifying standard for Boston will become a little easier for me that year and I expect to be right on the bubble.

I'm glad I didn't run yesterday as it was the hottest CM ever (88 degrees with 80% humidity) and entrants were more likely to end up in the hospital (hundreds did, one died) than get a PR. But if you don't think marathons are exciting, check out these finishes from yesterday's men's and women's races for first place:

Spain

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T09:55:29-07:00

Our trip to Spain was brief, just a few days, but we got to stay with our good friends the Munros, missionaries to the immigrant community around Madrid. They live in a suburb and the train station near their home is where the terrorists boarded the train a few years ago and planted that bomb that killed so many people just before the last Spanish election. I preached in the church there on Sunday July 1 and we got to tour Segovia, Alcala and Madrid, along with a few other stops along the way. While there Mrs Runalong got an incredibly painful migraine one evening; SCARY painful; but fortunately there have not been any reoccurences.

Mrs R shops for a new suit:

The Mod Squad visits a castle...

The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia was more than Adequate!

The Mod Squad in Madrid...

They just don't build churches like they used to!

More pics in part two below.

Spain 2

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T09:43:20-07:00

Most of the tall buildings in the Madrid area have storks nesting on top:

Alcala is the birthplace of Don Quixote's creator. Mrs R just couldn't seem to get into the spirit of posing...

The church took about 20 minutes of the service to profusely thank and praise the Munros for their service this past term...

The Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile Race...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T09:19:47-07:00

... is next Saturday. I'm in decent, though not top, shape and will be shooting for a time around 9:30. I ran the DC four years ago and finished in 9:41 so it would be nice to find that I'm just getting better with age! OTOH, I won't plan to go quite all out as the DC is more of a training run, my last chance at a 50 mile race before the HURT 100 mile race in January.

The DC 50 is named after one ultrarunning legend and directed by another, Ann Trason, probably the greatest female ultrarunner of all time. With over 15,000' of elevation change (half up and half down) it is moderately hilly by western trail race standards.

Humor for Lexophiles

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T09:12:24-07:00

A running acquaintance sent these:

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

A thief fell and broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U.C.L.A.

The math professor went crazy with the blackboard. He did a number on it.

The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

A will is a dead giveaway.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

A backward poet writes inverse.

In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.

A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

He broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

A plateau is a high form of flattery.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.

Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.

When Helmets Make No Sense

runalong@charter.net — 2007-10-08T09:08:34-07:00

David emailed me these pics awhile back.

Runalong?

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-30T20:18:26-07:00

September was busy (as you could tell by my infrequent blogging), October will be too. So as not to frustrate my few remaining (and long-suffering) faithful readers I have decided to henceforth publish Runalong on a weekly basis, on Mondays. I'll enter stuff as I come up with it and publish it all each Monday. Check in once a week and I'll try to make it worth your while!

Life is Simple: Eat, Drink, Hike

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-30T20:12:55-07:00

In Zermatt I found the perfect souvenier t-shirts, with our mantra! Next installment I'll take you to Spain.

Trinity Alps Wilderness

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-30T20:03:52-07:00

Yesterday three of us took a little jaunt through one of the most popular sections of the Trinity Alps, Canyon Creek. Our 20 mile journey took us up past waterfalls to Canyon lakes and L Lake with a side trip to Boulder Lake. About half running and half hiking we had a great time on a beautiful fall day. Sadly I forgot my camera, but this was my favorite view (courtesy of Google Images):

Haute Route Finale

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-30T19:45:10-07:00

The last day of our trek was one of the very best. I wrote it up a couple weeks ago and my computer ate it and it sufficiently discouraged me that I'm just now finally getting around to re-doing it. At any rate we enjoyed a relatively flat stretch toward Zermatt with splendid views of the Matterhorn; manifold wildflowers and few more "trisky" sections. Above Zermatt my now-buff companions decided to take the underground funicular down to town while I enjoyed a run down the heavily travelled trail (many tourists take the ride up and walk down) through a couple cute villages, past a waterfall and, of course, past hordes of Japanese tourists who looked at this gray-bearded American flinging himself wildly down the hill with looks of amazement. Perhaps they wondered if something was chasing me.

In Zermatt we met up with our Swiss friends who we had shared several dinners with. Sybille has since written to us, inviting us to visit her and her family in their hometown. Maybe someday. We had a celebratory meal, bought a couple souveneirs, and eventually hopped the train back to Germany and thence to home. It was time to leave and go home- we all could feel it. We didn't want it to end. But we were ready. We didn't know what we felt, but it didn't really matter. We were going home. But when I look at these pictures...

Modern Prophet: Rupert Holmes

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-21T15:48:25-07:00

A married couple are divorcing after they chatted each other up on the Internet using fake names.

Sana Klaric and husband Adnan poured their hearts out to each other over their marriage troubles.

Using the names 'Sweetie' and 'Prince of Joy' in a online chatroom, the pair thought they had found a soulmate with whom to spend the rest of their lives.

It should have turned out like a real-life version of the 1979 Rupert Holmes song, Escape, where a couple meet through advert by someone 'who likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain'.

But, unlike in the song, there was no happy ending after they turned up for a date and realised their mistake. Now the pair, from Zenica, Central Bosnia, are divorcing after accusing each other of being unfaithful.

Sana, 27, said: 'I was suddenly in love. It was amazing, we seemed to be stuck in the same kind of miserable marriages. How right that turned out to be.'
But when it dawned on her what had happened, she said: 'I felt so betrayed.'

Adnan, 32, said: 'I still find it hard to believe that Sweetie, who wrote such wonderful things, is actually the same woman I married and who has not said a nice word to me for years.'

They accused each other of being unfaithful! They felt so betrayed!

Every once in a great while there really is immediate justice in this world.

Excedrin headache #999

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-19T10:35:40-07:00

I had a junior high teacher who claimed that he stopped getting headaches once he threw away all his aspirin. I thought he was nuts. Maybe not.

“If you get more than two headaches a week and take pain pills for them, you’re at risk.”

Have a cuppa theanine

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-19T09:49:48-07:00

Well, yesterday was the big day, hope you didn't miss it! The Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health presented its latest findings and apparently the teaologists are all atwitter over the discovery that a component of tea called theanine apparently enhances alpha brain-wave activity, leading to "a calmer, yet more alert" state of mind. It works synergistically with caffeine and probably explains why I, a 32 ounce per day tea drinker, am such a lert, he calmly testified. If you want theonine, you've got to drink tea; apparently tea holds the patent on this stuff 'cuz you can't get it from any other sources.

Other compounds in tea, polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins and magic fairy dust, may help prevent dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurological disorders, all of which are far more common in Americans than in Asians. Mrs Runalong notes that apparently it doesn't do anything to reverse congenital neurological disorders; but I'm not sure what she's trying to get at.

Anyway, tea also may fight cancer, heart disease, obesity and global warming. OK, they didn't say "global warming" but they do say "may" a lot though they never point out the obvious implication of the word "may" which is that it also "may not" do any of these things. So why not add global warming to the list!

Seriously, these were Real scientists (link), and the benefits of tea drinking, while not fully established in every detail, look to be manifold. But be warned: the stuff they sell in bottles in the convenience store, next to the soda pop, has so much "high-fructose corn syrup" that it will probably do you more harm than good. HFCS is proving to be one of the worst things in our diet, but I'll save that for another time. Right now, I've got to finish my cup of Yunnan.

Disclaimer: I made up the part about magic fairy dust. Sorry to disillusion you. Here's a true fact to make up for it: Canadians drink more than seven billion cups of tea per year! Per capita! OK, that's one true fact and one false fact. I can't help myself, it seems to be some kind of neurological disorder that even theanine can't cure.

McKenzie River 50K: What a wonderful race!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-11T12:26:26-07:00

I just watched the video (below) so the song is on my mind, but Saturday really was a great day. It's probably the most fun I've ever had in a 50K race.

Because I didn't do much running in Switzerland I figured I wouldn't be able to go very fast but at least I did enough training in August to be able to finish the distance respectably. So I started out slow; the first five miles is technical and uphill anyway and I was stuck behind a line of about 30 other runners so I just relaxed and hoped I'd feel well enough later to be able to pick up the pace a little (though I figured I'd probably be lucky just to maintain). At least if I went slow I could enjoy the beautiful day without having to suffer too much.

It IS a beautiful course; following the river through old growth forest and past waterfalls, etc. Because of the lava and other roots and rocks it tends to be the scene of numerous bloodied knees and it has a long history of yellow jacket attacks, but we quibble.

After the first aid station the rest of the course tends slightly downhill but I just continued to cruise along, not knowing how my body would respond as the miles wore on. I passed several runners on the technical downhill sections as I tend to be relatively fearless/stupid about such things and was able to blow past those who were trying to get down safely (I got through the day w/o any falls. This time).

Nearing the halfway point I was feeling really good so I decided to start doing some real racing and see how far it would take me. It took me all the way to the end and I still felt great when I crossed the line. I did the first half in 2:51 (approx 11 minute pace) and the second half in 2:25 (approx 9:30 pace) and had fun, fun, fun all the way. As it was I was only five minutes slower than my previous trip here when I was a young pup of 47 years old and I could have broken five hours if I hadn't been so conservative. You just never know.

All six of us in the Redding contingent finished. Among us we only had one bloody knee and one bee sting.

What a wonderful day! (Click here for race results)

And I think to myself...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-11T12:24:53-07:00

... that this is really a wonderful video:

(thanks to Doug)

Mckenzie River 50K

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-06T21:47:29-07:00

I'm heading up to Oregon with Steve, Ted, Mark, Lorelei and Ronny to run in the McKenzie River 50K. It's a relatively flat and fast course for a trail 50K, but I'm not relatively fast right now. I should do OK but my hopes of using this to set a new personal record for the distance have been tempered by my lack of running while in Europe.

I wrote a scintillating report about our last day of the Haute Route, but my computer ate it. I'll redo it Monday; it was one of the best days of the whole trip. After that I'll do a little British show and tell for you. Have a great weekend!

Extreme Male Syndrome

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-06T21:13:44-07:00

Here is amazing new scientific evidence that men and women are ...

Different!

Background: In the 50s the sexes were different: men were better.
In the 60s and 70s the genders were the same.
From the 80s until now we've been different again: men are worse.

This scholar argues that men are better than women... and worse.

What do you think?

A great story

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-05T01:02:46-07:00

Sit down with a cup of tea (hot or cold, depending on where you live) and read Marcia's amazing account of her solo run through the Sierras.
Excerpt:

Tyger, tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night.

The poetry of William Blake strolls across my consciousness as I pass through mile after mile of pitch-black forest. There are no tigers here, and the only thing burning bright is the light of my headlamp. I am comfortable alone in the forest at night. There is very little to be afraid of in these mountains. But, yes, things do occasionally happen to people who wander far off into the mountains at night, and those thoughts do not escape me entirely. I remember John's last words to me, as he kissed me goodbye early that morning. "Have fun. Don't get eaten."

Haute Route: St Nick to Europa Hut (Part 1)

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-04T11:11:20-07:00

Thursday was another rest day for the ladies. I hiked up to the little village of Gasenreid, a short but steep 1500' climb and found a great hotel (the only one in town) with a nice big room with a balcony overlooking the valley (see pics) for $40 per person (super cheap by Swiss standards). Then I made the easy flat two mile walk over to Grachen, a cute touristy ski town, where I met a couple of cute chicks who had taken the bus up from St Nick. We wandered around the shops, stocked up on food for the last two days of our trek, ate lunch at "Mike's Place" and walked back to Gasenreid together.

Pics 1 & 2: Grachen; Pics 3-7:Pics taken of our from our hotel in Gasenreid.

Haute Route: St Nick to Europa Hut (Part 2)

runalong@charter.net — 2007-09-04T09:31:41-07:00

Later that day, Mrs. Runalong and the Bex read together while I wandered around town. Friday morning we continued soouth on the Europaweg, a 20 mile trail from Grachen to Zermatt. After a tough 1500' climb we would spend the next two days traversing high above the valley below. Because the hillside is very steep the trail is very challenging in places with lots of boulders and scree and abrupt drop-offs and a fair amount of up and downness. But the views were consistently magnificent, as you can see.

Praise the Lord, after weeks of iffy weather when even the best days were hazy, our last few days on the trail were postcard perfect! We did have one scare when Bex slipped and fell while crossing a steep and dangerous cascading stream but the only damage was to Dad's nervous system. Europa Hut was crowded and offered no privacy at the end of an exhausting day, but it's the only game in town. Tomorrow will be our last day... and one of our very best!

Climbing out of Gasenreid:

Snack time; looking north...

Becky's feet; Gasenreid & Grachen...

Decisions, decisions...

Can you see them?

Cross the danger area quickly!

A long ways down...

Almost there...

For the first ten days of the Haute Route, click here and scroll down.

A lesson in humility

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-31T13:07:08-07:00

Insights du jour: Political Wisdom

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-31T09:41:57-07:00

Political Wisdom? Isn't that an oxymoron? Almost. But there are a few sane voices out there now and then. Here are two that helped me think more clearly this morning - these are just excerpts to give you the flavor, click on the links for the full articles:

"Do you ever get the feeling that at this point Washington is run by two rival gangs that have a great deal in common with each other, including an essential lack of interest in the well-being of the turf on which they fight?"- Peggy Noonan, speaking about Iraq, but applicable to the state of most current political debates.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the most important words in American history: “all men are created equal.” Jefferson was also a slave owner, which made him a hypocrite. But the fact that Jefferson was living a life that was at odds with his principles doesn’t invalidate and shouldn't weaken the principle; it only means that we, as fallen creatures, need to strive harder to live up to what we know to be right. - Peter Wehner on Hypocrisy.

Haute Route: Grauben to St. Nicholas

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-30T19:08:22-07:00

Hurray: It's a sunny day! Or is it? Now it's cloudy but it looks like it might clear, or will it? The day started sunny, then the low clouds moved in, then out, then back in, then we were socked in at the top of Forcletta and getting pelted with hail. Bummer. The views on the downhill side of today's hike are supposed to be some of the best of the whole route. And now it's clearing. And the view from the point is one of the most spectacular vistas we've ever viewed! Fantastic views both up the valley (toward Zermatt and the Matterhorn, though we can't see them yet) and down valley and across the valley toward Grachen and Gasenreid.

The little town of Jurgen, perched precariously on the mountainside, high above St Nick was as cute as advertised. Mrs Runalong and the Bex hopped a tram for the unexpectedly thrilling ride down ("hey, it's a LONNNNNG way down!"). I ran youthfully past about 20 shrines (taking the day full circle from merry hail to Hail, Mary) and met them at what turned out to be a disappointing village.

St. Nick seemed largely deserted with only one affordable hotel and one place to eat. The overly made-up woman at the tourist center thrusted her heaving bosom to and fro as she talked: "Dorms? That's for big groups." "Are they nice?" "I don't know anything about dorms. We have nice hotels..." Yeah, OK, whatever. Fortunately she was an anomoly compared to most of the people we met. Our hotel room was huge however and, oddly enough, included a tanning bed and sauna!

Pics 1-2: Going up! By the time we got to the top (pic 2) we were socked in & it was hailing & howling! Pics 5-6: Jurgen (pic 4 looks north; pic 5 east & pic 6 south).

Haute Route: Zinal to Grauben

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-29T00:22:41-07:00

To be honest I can't remember much about this section. My notes say that it was only an "OK" day, as there were low clouds most of the day blocking any views. Fortunately the remaining days of the trip were Grrrreat!

Pic 1: Typical Zinal home. Pic 2: A typical scene from an "OK" day.

What he says...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-28T23:18:50-07:00

When someone asks me what I think about global warming, I've basically answered along these lines...

only not so eloquently.

Haute Route: Les Hauderes to Zinal

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-28T00:57:29-07:00

I bought Mrs R a knee brace at the pharmacy and that seemed to help her a lot today. At breakfast there were, as usual, several kinds of cheese set out. My lovely wife reached out with her hand and grabbed the slice that looked best to her... oops, that's not cheese, that's butter... "yuck!" Two members of our family got a big laugh out of that.

We all hopped on the bus Monday morning; I got off at Les Hauderes, where I had left off yesterday; Mrs Runalong and Bex stayed on to La Sage, a few miles up the road. It was a fairly easy hike until I met them at La Sage, then it got steep. The views behind us were wonderful (see pics). It was a steep climb of about 4000' to the Col de Torrent where we were greeted by more panoramas and a steep hike down to Lac Moiry with tons of wildflowers.

The cabin at the Lac Moiry dam was expensive so my two companions hopped another bus to Zinal while I went up and over another high Col to a big ski area on the other side. The sky was threatening but apart from a touch of rain mixed with snow flakes it turned out OK. Not having a pack I was able to run wildly down the long, steep, technical trail to Zinal, going as fast as I could without risking a disastrous fall. Thus we again completed two stages in one day.

On the bus from Les Hauderes to La Sage, an old (80-ish) couple got on, barely able to climb up onto the bus and totter gingerly back to their seats. They had backpacks and hiking poles and got off at a trailhead for a hike.

1) La Sage, (2) Hiking out of Val d'Herens, (3) Lac Moiry, (4) Zinal

It's not enough to mean well.

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-27T12:30:52-07:00

Good intentions can have bad consequences. Our welfare system, from LBJ until Clinton's reforms, is a case in point. Combined with the sexual revolution it lead to an epidemic of broken families and fatherless homes which in turn lead to further poverty and untold suffering.

If we want to help poor people through the political system (I assume we want to and are finding ways to help as individuals and churches); then we need to understand poverty: its definition and causes - before we can begin to figure out how to "cure" it. You want your doctor to make a careful diagnosis before they he starts prescribing drugs and surgery- good intentions aren't enough!

This article provides a lot of background and data that anyone needs to consider as we look for ways to reduce poverty in the US. That's a good goal and should be the aim and prayer of all Christians. But we also need to be wise and be sure we are truly helping. Good intentions might be enough to make us feel better about ourselves, but unless they really help solve the problem (and not make it worse!), they're not worth squat.

Understanding Poverty in America.

Haute Route: Arolla to Evolene

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-27T12:08:32-07:00

I promised Mrs R and Bex a rest day so they took the bus from Arolla to Evolene and I hiked to Les Hauderes where I took a bus to Evolene, which was not on the route but was a pretty town with affordable accomodations.

Sunday morning July 22nd in Arolla: there was no suitable church in the small village but we were nevertheless treated to contemporary Christian music (in French) over the hotel speakers while we ate breakfast. They had the best yogurt we ever tasted and you could add homemade apricot or raspberry puree! A few hours later I stopped at a small dairy farm where a very nice lady who spoke only French served me the best glass of milk I've ever had.

It was basically a rest day for me too as I hiked/ran to Les Hauderes (about 2/3 of the way to Evolene); a cute little town that was having a big street fair (I enjoyed some fresh Belgian waffles) and then caught the bus to Evolene where we found a very nice hotel (and Becky got her own room) with real wood panelling. Obviously it used to be THE PLACE in Evolene and was showing its age a little but we really enjoyed it. Evolene is a very pretty town and we all enjoyed our rest day.

The dairy area (2); and Evolene:

Haute Route: Prafleuri to Arolla

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-24T00:05:18-07:00

What a day!!!

It began by climbing up a small col. From there we saw beautiful Lac des Dix (Lake Dix), though it was initialy covered by some beautiful clouds; from the col we could see the next four hours of our route; had a close encounter with chamois (see pics); followed by a long hard climb, then a brief descent to Cabane des Dix; across a glacier and up a steep pile of boulders to a narrow trail with big drop-offs.

From there we climbed a 70' ladder to the top of the cliff (a bit tricky with a backpack and a bum shoulder as well as being psychologically intimidating); then the long, long descent to Arolla (sensory overload with the extravagant profusion of wildflowers and the sound of glacial ice cracking loudly). There we found our best lodging yet at a great price (they were even playing contemporary worship music over the sound system in the restaurant- in French!).

Again there were times this fine Saturday in July when I wondered, "What have I got us into?" Mrs R had a tough day (hangover from yesterday's tough hike) but she pushed herself really hard and made it. But the story is best told in pictures...

(Too many picks for one entry - continued below)

Haute Route: Prafleuri to Arolla: Part 2

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-24T00:01:21-07:00

The only way across this icy river was to flop up on this rock and over:

Haute Route: Mont Fort to Cabane de Prafleuri

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-23T10:04:14-07:00

Friday July 20th was a very "trisky" but fascinating high country hike. We saw two ibex and three chamois; hiked across scree and boulders and snow and a tricky river crossing (due to getting off course). The snow crossings were steep with unpleasant consequences should one fall but the snow was soft and we made it safely. At times though, I did wonder, "what have I gotten us into?". We hiked past the Grand Combin and had many great vistas on a day with lots of warm sun and a fair share of cold rain with thunder. The weather changes dramatically and rapidly in the Alps.

But everyone was in a good mood. Then, near the bottom of the last descent, I caught my foot on something and fell. Trying not to fall forward down a semi-steep muddy and rocky path with my big backpack I rolled left and managed to fall with no damage except...

Somehow, while falling, I tore something in my shoulder. Immediate and searing pain. I could barely move my left arm and that only with great pain. Fortunately we were only hiking and not mountain climbing so I could get by without one arm!

As soon as we got to the hut a huge storm hit and lasted most of the evening. Cabane de Prafleuri was unimpressive in itself but for one thing: dinner was all you can eat! After eight hours of hard hiking, that's no insignificant blessing.

How old would you be...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-22T20:43:28-07:00

... if you didn't know how old you are?

Mike Flynt returns to playing college football after taking time off to get married, raise kids, have a couple careers, etc.

Haute Route: Champex-Mont Fort

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-22T06:50:08-07:00

Day 4 began with a lllooonnnggg descent from Champex to the town of Sembrancher where we then had to walk to the far end of town to buy food for the next two days and use the only ATM we would see from day 2 to day 6. Sembrancher, at about 2000' elevation is the lowest point on the route, had a very interesting old town center of old buildings and narrow streets.

The ladies hopped a train to Le Chable, four miles up valley, while I got a little run in. Then they took the trams up to Verbier and almost all the way up to the hut we would stay in; while I hiked up the mountain, climbing from 2000' elevation to 8000'; equivalent to climbing out of the Grand Canyon. It wasn't bad (or if it was, I've forgotten) except that it was the warmest day of the trip. The views were great and I made good time arriving at the hut around five, sooner than anyone expected me. Thus we actually completed two stages in one day (Champex to Le Chable & LC to MF).

We hung out with some of our new friends we'd met in Trient and I tried to get some dinner but the one hut worker didn't speak any English and couldn't believe how stupid I was every time he spoke German to me and I just stared back blankly. He'd try speaking louder but it didn't work. I could tell he was getting frustrated with me so I gave up; but later Ellery, a German-American teen from Berlin who was hiking the route solo, interceded for me and got me some much appreciated spaghetti. Later we stood out on the deck and watched the clouds come up the mountain toward us. We didn't get to see a sunset but we saw a lot of lightning.

Pics: Sembrancher; looking down toward Le Chable and Sembrancher;
Cabane du Mont Fort

20 Timeless Money Rules

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-21T08:27:40-07:00

I'm usually not a big fan of Money magazine but this is one of the best investment-advice articles you'll ever read.

A list that begins with "Be humble" and ends with "Keep money in its place" earns the Pastoral Seal of Approval.

Haute Route: Trient-Champex

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-21T07:33:52-07:00

Day 3 was pretty challenging; 4400 feet of ascent (and almost as much descent) over 9 miles. As Mrs R kept noting; Swiss miles are NOT like American miles. She's right: nine miles would normally just be a typical day's run for me but in Switzerland it's a full day's hike. Must have something to do with the 4400' of climbing. Also: the Swiss don't follow American guidelines for slope and steepness. They KNOW about switchbacks, we found them here and there; they just don't like to use them most of the time. Why waste all that time when you can just go straight up?

In Trient we met quite a few English-speaking folks, including some Americans. This was a surprise. By this time we had been in Switzerland for two weeks and had not met any Americans and had rarely overheard someone from Britain or Australia speaking English. Of course we weren't going to the big towns or the popular tourist destinations for the most part, preferring off-the-beaten path villages and such. Because many of the people we met were also doing the Haute Route we saw them frequently over the next week although we weren't all moving at the same pace. Still it was nice to make some new friends.

From Trient we climbed and climbed and climbed up to Alp Bovine (or, as we'd say in America, "Cow Farm"). We had some great views of the Rhone Valley. To my surprise we met some trail runners coming down the opposite way; this part of the Haute Route is also part of the equally demanding Tour du Mont Blanc route which circumnavigates Mont Blanc. There is a multi-stage trail race that follows that 100+ mile route in August and these folks were training.

After the long hard climb to the top of the Col we sat down for a picnic lunch. The spot was already occupied by another group of about 15 hearty hikers enjoying their bread and cheese and the marvelous views in both directions. More trail runners? No, this group consisted entirely of women, none of whom appeared to be under 65; none of whom appeared to be athletic (most of them were noticeably soft around the middle). But they had made the climb and were having a great time- they left the spot while we lingered.

Later we had one of the gnarliest descents of the trip, practically straight down a cliff with a "trail" consisting primarily of routes and rocks. Runners call these "technical trails" - this one was more "technical" than "trail". It was nasty. But as we neared the bottom, there was this church ladies' group (or whatever they were; in the US they would have been a knitting group), sitting by a waterfall, resting and snacking and talking and laughing. Our church has a 50+ group but they mostly go out to eat and have sing-alongs: I don't think we could get them to join us for a hike up to Alp Bovine! Later we saw the women in Champex at the end of the day; tired but happy.

After leaving the col we stopped at a little cafe up on the mountain in the middle of nowhere and bought more outrageously priced cokes. While we were there a helicopter landed and two guys got out and had cokes also. In the Swiss mountains helicopter patrols are routine.

All day the weather was unsettled. Shortly after we got to Champex we had a big downpour with lightning. It was the first of many evenings in a row in which the weather held off all day for us and broke loose just after we got to our lodging.

The dorm in Champex was a little tacky, one of our least favorites, but not crowded, and all the hotels were ridiculously expensive. Becky and I went out for spaghetti (or was it pizza?). We ate a lot of spaghetti and pizza on this trip because: A) They were often the only two things on the menu we could read (though we weren't always able to translate the pizza toppings) and B) they were usually the only two things we could afford (about $12-15 per person as opposed to $30+ for most items). In the morning we all got a yummy and calorie-laden breakfast at the bakery.

Pics: 1- The Little Ol' Swiss Ladies' Club rests after a 4000' climb.
2- Alp Bovine and the Rhone Valley
3- The Descent of Gnarliness

Haute Route: Day 2

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-20T11:19:40-07:00

The second day of the Haute Route is moderate by HR standards; 7.5 miles and 3000' each of ascent and descent. Mrs R opted to avoid most of the ascent by taking the tram up to Col de Balme (7000' altitude); Becky hiked up the first half with me and then took the $1 tram up the second half. I met them at the cafe on the top where we enjoyed marvelous views (and tiny little coca-colas for $2 each) before descending from France into Switzerland and the town of Trient. It was the first day in which my lovely companions learned that going downhill is much harder on the body than going uphill!

This was our first night (of many) on the route in which we had no reservations, but not to worry. There were plenty of room at the inn (the ONLY inn in Trient). Here's a pic from the top, looking back; and the beginning of the long descent toward Trient.

Haute Route 1

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-19T18:06:38-07:00

Rather than start at the beginning of our amazing summer adventures, I'll begin with the end. The last two weeks were spent hiking the Haute Route from Chamonix, France (at the foot of Mt Blanc) to Zermatt, Switzerland (at the foot of the Matterhorn). The route, which began as a cross-country ski touring route has been adapted for summer hiking. It goes from the most massive mountain in Europe to the most recognizable. The guide book (by Kev Reynolds) recommends doing the route over 14 days; I set our trek up as a 13 day adventure. Because we would be staying in huts or villages each night, we didn't need to carry any camping gear. Also, if the going got too rough for Mrs Runalong, she could skip a day here or there and take a bus to the next village. There were also some trams and gondolas along the way if she wanted to skip a big climb or descent (she did!). I carried her clothes and stuff along with my own and she carried our lunches and such. Becky carried her own stuff.

From the guidebook: "Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn- recipe for a visual feast! To walk from one to another is to sample that feast in full measure; a gourmet extravaganza of scenic wonders... In two weeks of mountain travel you will be witness to the greatest collection of 4000 meter (13,000 feet) peaks in all the Alps and visit some of the most spectacular valleys. There you'll find delightful villages and remote alp hamlets, wander flower meadows and deep fragrant forests... cross icy streams and glaciers... The route is over 180 meters (112 miles) long. It crosses eleven passes and gains more than 12,000 meters (40,000 feet) in height."

Our first day was easy; after a long train ride from Locarno; we arrived in Chamonix in late afternoon, grabbed a few burgers at McDonald's* and headed toward Argentiere only six miles away in the valley.

Mont Blanc

*A beautiful building, inside and out, with espresso and beer on the menu and free wifi!

I'm baa-yack...

runalong@charter.net — 2007-08-18T00:30:33-07:00

Two months between posts seems like long enough, eh? I've been back for two weeks but have been getting caught up with stuff. By Monday I'll have my first entry and pics from Europe up. It was a vacation of a lifetime, yessirree, Bob. Spread the word!

The Lord Alps those who Alp themselves.

runalong@charter.net — 2007-06-17T19:09:04-07:00

Runalong (the blog) will be in a deep trance the next six weeks while Runalong (the Magnificent!) is traipsing around Europe with his wife and daughter.

After visiting with missionaries in London and Madrid we will join up with our missionary daughter in Germany's Black Forest. From there the three of us will take trains and buses around Switzerland, visiting the German, Italian, Romansch and French sections of the country. We will be hiking and staying in hostels and barns and farms. One three-day hike will take us from Liechtenstein into Austria and then into Switzerland; our final two week trek will begin in France at Chamonix and follow the Haute Route to Zermatt, Switzerland with views of Mt Blanc and the Matterhorn.

I won't be taking my computer or cell phone or checking email or blogging- I'm one of those people who believe that the best vacations are those that provide the greatest breaks from "normal" everyday living.

Lord willing, I'll be back in early August with lots of pics and videos and stories; tanned, rested and ready for action!

Falling shorts!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-06-17T18:58:20-07:00

So I was preaching on Psalm 32, one of my very, very favorites and I came to verse 2 which declares the blessings of the man whose sin has been covered. I was explaining the meaning of the word "covered" and of the word used here for "sin", which means to miss the mark or to come up short.

Great truths in a great passage with great comfort and great application. What wasn't so great were the words that somehow came out of my mouth:

"Blessed is the man whose falling shorts are covered by the Lord!"

Bush Rocks!

runalong@charter.net — 2007-06-15T00:09:10-07:00

Fred Thompson speaks plainly on right-to-life issues

runalong@charter.net — 2007-06-14T23:26:38-07:00

Click on the pic:

Ruth Bell Graham

runalong@charter.net — 2007-06-14T21:32:00-07:00

Billy Graham's wife is celebrating the day she's been waiting for for a long, long time. After a long illness she has found complete healing in the presence of the Lord today at age 87. She was, in every respect, the great woman behind the great man. I look forward to meeting her someday. Pray for Billy; I'm sure he's looking forward to re-uniting with her.

If you don't "know" Ruth; read this and this.