Intro
From January 2010 to 2012, my weekend were spent exclusively enjoying the great California, which host the US best backcountry, the Eastern Sierra. If anyone have been to Tahoe's Desolation Wilderness, lots of hidden gems in this park but millions of Californians have not seen this real beauty.
My discovery of mountaineering was by accident. And my passion for ultra running was another ability I never thought I have. There is no doubt that the base miles and cardio were from my mountaineering stint. Its a broad sport ranging from alpine, rocks and free climb - all requiring to maximize a body's VO2.
Many runners and cyclist choose to believe and/or prejudice, that mountaineering has nothing to do with running or cycling. But at the same time, a lot of runners or cyclists, are actually seasoned mountaineer. For a mountaineer, it is everything but for a runner it is "nothing" (http://www.genufix.com/mountaineering.htm). For many mountaineers, running or cycling remains a key role to keep fit and maintain the cardio training regimen. Fellow mountaineers that I know, train for few months to over a year, to run a marathon, century or an ultra but there are only a handful of runners or cyclist, who can run a marathon/century or ultra in few months of running. Majority of runners started from mile 1 and progress to running the 26.2 distance which could take 12 to 18 months.
Both sports use aerobic training albeit mountaineering is a dangerous sport. In trail running, the athlete run and he/she get tired, athlete run slower. On a speed ascent, if mountaineer go over his/her limit, he/she fall and the result can be fatal. http://www.irunfar.com/2012/01/an-interview-with-speed-alpinist-ueli-steck.html
Few mountaineers I know who run with above average pace:
1) Samuel Novey ( Mt. Shasta expert) trained for three months trail running but achieved finish time of North Face Ultra Endurance 50KM in 6:36:15
2) Tom Heng (who died in Mt. Langley) runs 10 miles several days a week just to have fun 3) Ben Horne ( who died in Palcaraju West summit in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru after running WS) is a notable member from Pullharder.org. Horne ran three 100 mile endurance run events: Leadville, Wasatch and Western States. Ben Horne known as Zoom Loco in the climbing world, finished WS in 22:34:08. So to speak, many of the strong mountaineers are also strong trail runners. Running as a training tool is very valuable for preparation in scaling major peak for majority of mountaineers. It takes a positive mental attitude, strength and persistence to reach a summit. However, for many mountain guides see runners have lack of endurance (20 hour days), lack of strength (70+ pound loads), and impatience (during off days doing little or nothing, and with the often slow pace). I've seen this happen and happen again whenever I led a trip and have taken a runner but not all runners are the same. I am writing this blog to explain to put into perspective what it takes to do long distance running and its benefits in scaling big mountains. Nowadays there are new technology, equipment and gear to help a mountaineer/trail runner achieve that goal, travelling far, covering miles and miles of trail and power hiking mountain pass. With this new gizmoz, a new breed of sport is born - adventure running and racing. I mentioned in my previous post that my passion for doing more extreme side of outdoors was re-energized after I was told that I was not allowed to join the TRT trip due to my lack of speed. I found out that I could actually run after scaling 14er Mt. Shasta, 3 times in a month, there was a huge effect on my cardio fitness. Needless to say, my first run 6 miles on 9 min pace and felt good but that I needed to go to work early that day. I found that doing mountaineering and trail running at the same time can cut your training time. It took me less than 4 months to run 26.2 miles at 9ish pace. I was careful with the training I was doing. Although I live in the flatland, I ensure that my long runs cover hills with at least sustained vertical gain of over 2000 ft. I was also told that I must run solo 80% of the time and if I can help it - not to wear any music player while running. The approach that Im supposed to do is "minimalist". Another to do during my training is not to take any type of gels and to minimize interval workout. The idea was to get the body used to torture when muscles breakdown and I had to push it. One would think that I would be serious to follow all the training ritual. I followed most but not the mileage plan specifically designed for me. Surprizingly, before the year was over, I run my first ultra in inclement weather (North Face 50K). It followed 50 mile endurance in less than 14 months. All that! - thanks to my mountaineering escapes. With these races successfully executed, I can now say that I proved to myself that I can be an endurance athlete. Before I completed my first official marathon, I had issues with some women in the running community. Women in the running group beckoned me as a "beginner". That was repeated by the same group of women in the cyclist group. The same group that tried to get in the way, tried their usual shenanigans, possibly to discourage me joining the local AR50 ultra. I do not know any other reason aside from what is called "envy". One particular female who is also a trail runner emailed a special person in my life about my beginners' ability and she viewed me as "threatened and insecure" of her. She, many times described me to whomever she knows as, "that whatever I say is contrary to my ability". While I have nothing to say against her but to me she live in a virtual world of envy and discontent. I was the receiving end of the bitter and unbearable badmouthing by these pernicious women, particularly this woman and her cohorts. At the AR50 race, I was glad to pass the envious runner. Indeed she is one crazy "crab". It must have been a slapped on her face that I passed her (not just by seconds, but miles) while she viewed herself as stronger runner than me. At the Santa Barbara race, she DNFed without any injury before mile 50 while she attempted the DRTE 100, this time its confirmed who say something contrary to ones ability :) Let the runners be the judge! Weeks before my first marathon, I read Chrissie Wellington's "A life without limits". Its a narrative of Chrissie's experience before she won her first Kona triathlon. In that book, Wellington narrate the jealousy by other athlete, particularly female athlete in Sutton's team, just as she started the bootcamp training in Thailand. I am too far to become Chrissie Wellington. I do not even have the time nor the will to enter the world podium. However, having slapped with athletic politics in my first year of training did not deter me to do my very best. In few of my cycling training, I was with veteran male cyclists who happened to hear of the Asian "conundrum of athletic prowess". They jokingly told me that these ladies were particularly envious of me, probably because of the way I look. While I see that as a compliment but I never desire to have that outcome, where male see that good looking athlete having the trouble fitting in with some women. That is ridiculous to say the least. We are not entitled to have thoughts or feelings to other people or to assume that someone is arrogant simply because she is "attractive". Women who allow their uncensored envy do often say terrible things to completely innocent people and generally act in sociopathic way "to even score" as though the object of the behaviour has no feelings just because she is attractive. These types of women make wrongful accusations, invent stories, affairs, flirtations and ruin the peace in the community. These types of women, a subset of the general community, are deprived of agency and power, who uses the tools of gossips and badmouthing for the powerless to get. It breeds cattiness! These women have literally have nothing else to do and their entire worth is based on appearance and breeding potential. And it is true that there are women, actual-grown-up women, who still regard other women through the lens of envy and jealousy. As day that pass-by on my training, I look for aspiring stories, that would motivate me to become a better me. However, as my weeks ended, it is the "woman-on-woman jealousy" as the worst motivator of all. |
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