Blog Posts From Active Toby's Adventure Blog Tagged With exploring

CA 14ers: Palisades Traverse (Fail #2)

Active Toby — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:27:23 GMT

The Palisades Traverse is a classic alpine ridge traverse that connects the summits of five of California's fourteen thousand foot peaks. My old climbing partner Gil and I attempted the route in October of 2007 and were snowed out during the night at the base of (what we thought was) Thunderbolt Peak (14,003').

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Alpine bouquet

Over the holiday weekend, me and my friends Jake and Kam were eager to give it a shot. We hit the road on Thursday around 2 p.m. and made the long drive up to Bishop. We tried to leave early enough but ended up hitting the holiday weekend traffic and arriving at South Lake trail head parking lot around 10 p.m. We set up our bivy in the parking lot and were asleep by 11 p.m. and two hours later, the alarm sounded and we were gearing up to hit the trail.

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Alpenglow

We were on the trail by 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning for the ~8-mile approach via Bishop Pass trail. We moved quickly through the darkness guided by the light of our headlamps, only making quick stops to shed/add layers and eat snacks. We hit some snow patches above 11,000’ and reached Bishop Pass and topped off our water from a mountain stream in Dusy Basin before the ascent of what we thought was Thunderbolt Peak…

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Jake, kicking steps for us

On the way up, we negotiated some fourth/fifth-class scrambling/climbing while one of our team members started to suffer from the altitude. We reached the first peak behind schedule, only to discover we were on the summit of Mount Agassiz (13,899’), one of the twenty highest peaks of California. From there, we could see across to Thunderbolt Peak, where we were supposed to be.

Yes folks, we climbed the wrong mountain.

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From right to left: Thunderbolt Peak, Starlight Peak, North Palisade, Polemonium Peak, Mt Sill

So behind schedule and off-route, we decided to pull the plug and head back to San Diego. Our down-climb was a blast, as we glissaded a 1000’ patch of snow which boosted our morale while saving time and energy which we really needed. We got back to the car at 6:30 p.m. making for a 16-hour day on our feet and then took on the 6-hour drive home after dinner in Bishop to arrive back in San Diego at 3 a.m. on Saturday. ~36 hours from sea level to 13,899’ and back--what a trip!

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Jake and Kam

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Kam, finishing her glissade

I think its pretty funny that we climbed the wrong mountain and in all honesty, I’m glad we did. When I saw with my own eyes the magnitude of this route, I think it would have taken too much out of me to this close to the Vermont 100, my “A” race for the season. So with that, I had a great time with my friends and got a killer workout at altitude amongst some of the most beautiful scenery my eyes have ever seen. Kam and I are already planning our next attempt for August and this time, we plan to bivy at the base of the real Thunderbolt Peak on Day 1 and then take on the full route and the descent on Day 2. More details on that in late July.

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Next up, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run on 7/18 – 7/19 I fly out Thursday to celebrate my 26th birthday with family and friends this weekend and then make my way up north to get ready to race. I’ll post updates on the go and a recap here following the event. Thanks again for joining me on all these adventures!

[Watch the Slideshow | http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobyguillette/sets/72157620820675857/show/]

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The Blueprint

Active Toby — Sat, 23 May 2009 03:03:05 GMT

I’ve been using my data from last year’s SD100 as the guide for my Vermont 100 training and so far I’m hitting similar distances at a quicker pace. This is a good sign that I’m on the right track, but I’m getting into the heavy build phase now so its time to study the race logistics and get seriously dialed!

My ultra running buddy Eric Lee , who I paced at the end of the 2008 Angeles Crest 100, recently connected me with his friend Pete, who ran the 2008 Vermont 100. Pete and I exchanged a couple emails and his advice was beyond helpful so I asked his permission to re-post his advice here in my blog to share with you all. Thanks Pete!

Hi Toby,

The map won't help you much. Once you get going you won't have any

idea where you are and there are so many small hills you won't know up

from down.

The best race info I found is from this report and GPS:

http://www.noones-saloone.com/RaceReports/Vermont-2007.html

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3436845

The route is extremely well marked and easy to follow and the event is

big enough that you'll see plenty of people and horses along the way.

The horses add plenty of bonus trail markers for you too - just watch

your step:-)

Aid station support is excellent. After the first 15 miles that have

a couple un-manned water drops, they have full aid stations almost

every 3 miles.

The 4am start is brutal. I barely slept at all the night before.

Unless you camp out right at the start, you probably will need to get

up and drive at least 20 minutes to the start. There really aren't

any hotels right in the vicinity.

The humidity was the biggest challenge. 10 min before our start, we

had a thunderstorm so we headed out into dripping thick fog. I almost

threw up 30 minutes in. Early morning and at night, prepare to be wet

and it can be pretty cool. Make sure you have waterproof drop bags if

you have clothes or shoes stashed along the way. Even without rain,

the humidity generates heavy dew and will soak everything you have.

One thing that really helped me was keeping my water bottle mixed with

ice and really keeping up with hydration. I also carried a cloth to

wrap up a bundle of ice which I either tied around my neck or just

held and mopped my head, ears, and back of my neck as I went along.

I changed from a regular t-shirt to a tank top at about mile 20. I

was a lot more comfortable with less fabric. Other than 2 sock

changes, I didn't change any other clothing but probably would have

enjoyed fresh shorts and shirts along the way. The one thing I wish I

had prepared for was more body glide at each stop. With the humidity

combined with melting ice on my head, I was pretty drenched all day.

Wet shorts rubbing on your legs is pretty uncomfortable and there were

a few miles I really wish I had a solid coat of body glide to help

prevent chafing. But I managed to finish with all my skin intact.

One thing that I did right that really helped was having multiple fuel

options ready to pick up at each drop bag. It's hard to get down

calories in the humidity and more than a few times I got sick of what

I was using. Fortunately I had backup plans and just switched to

something else that worked and kept going. With aid stations so close

together, it was easy to dump a drink mix and start with something

else or fresh water without going too long without something.

The last couple miles of the course are pretty cruel. They wind you

around in the woods near the finish and you'll think you're there

about 4 times before you eventually just pop out of the woods into the

field under the finish banner.

And I'm not sure what kind of hills you train on but Vermont is a lot

different than Colorado. Here we have big climbs and its easy to plan

your pace and you know when you are the top. In Vermont, most hills

are only a few hundred feet and there are a lot of them. My quads were

completely trashed by mile 70. So for training, I'd recommend a lot

of hill repeats and probably some strength work. You'll need to be

careful to pace yourself on the VT course since it's easy to run a lot

of hills that you should walk.

This advice is priceless and has already helped me visualize what I need to really focus on in training to be ready for on race day. It sounds like the VT100 is a tricky course and might actually be more difficult than the SD100. The description says 18,000 feet of total gain and 18,000 feet of loss where as SD100 had 12,300 of gain. I’ll also be running in humidity for the first time, so simulating race conditions in training with more hills and heat training is crucial. Check out the VT100 elevation profile compared to the SD100:

I increased my mileage by 60% last week by re-introducing two days of run-commuting per week into my training schedule. This is the perfect way for me to get those extra “hilly” miles in during this build phase before peak training in mid-June.

Here are some photos from a hot, hilly training session last weekend at Daley Ranch in Escondido.

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Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Spring Cleaning

Active Toby — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:15:03 GMT

The last few weeks have been low-mileage rest weeks with a focus on putting the finishing touches on my training plan for the Vermont 100 Endurance Run and gearing up to start training next week!

The lessons I learned at the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run continue to help dial in my strategy for the VT100. The first item of business is fine-tuning my method of fueling, not the actual content of my fuel.

While I was running with a handheld bottle of Hammer Nutrition Sustained Energy mix and a Fuel Belt with Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets, my race crew was laboring over filling bottles and mixing powders all day and night.

By using a hydration backpack with a custom-made fuel by Infinit Nutrition, I remove the handheld bottle and the Fuel Belt from the equation. My special blend, “

Beast Mix

”, combines the ingredients of the two products I was using into one powder and saves me $25 per batch. Let me know if you’re interested in the “Beast Mix” and I’ll send you the settings through the Infinit website.

With an extra water reservoir, I can be drinking out of the one in my pack while the crew fills, mixes and chills the other. So when I come through an aid station, all the crew has to do is pull out the empty reservoir and replace it with the full one. This is going to save valuable time and energy for the team!

Here are a couple shots from my last two adventures:

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Camping and trekking in Joshua Tree National Park

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Relaxing in Scottsdale, AZ

Steadfast

Active Toby — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:57:38 GMT

I’m officially registered for the 2009 Vermont 100 Endurance Race in July! While it feels great to make the commitment, I am also well-aware of the hard work it takes to prepare for a

100-mile ultra marathon

. My advantage this year is having my experience and training data from the SD100 to look back on to refine both my training and race-day approach.

Keeping things fun and exciting is an essential part of my strategy. That said I’m already planning my peak training weekend in June to include an attempt at running the Pacific Crest Trail from Warner Springs to Campo, a distance of 110 miles in two days. The first day will be 68 miles and include 6,440 feet of elevation gain from Warner Springs to Mt. Laguna and day two will include 43 miles with 2,420 feet of gain. Sounds fun, right? I’ll be looking for folks who are interested in running sections with me or crewing (camping out Saturday night) as details get worked out--stay tuned.

On Saturday, I hit up the Noble Canyon trail for a 26-mile training run with a couple running buddies. We climbed for 13 miles from 3,500 feet up to 5,500 and then headed back down. These long, slow distance runs are great right now but I will wait to add volume in April, as my “A” race is now later in the year. My focus for now is to keep my legs going with the long, slow stuff and stay strong with cross-training as I make decisions on tune-up races.

Sunday was mellow; I dusted off my bike and cruised around SD for a couple hours with my buddies to spin out the legs. It was a beautiful ride and the perfect way to begin

daylight saving time

. I hope you’re all enjoying the extra hour of afternoon daylight.

Inspiration from the PCT

Active Toby — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:43:57 GMT

On Saturday I traveled to northeast corner of San Diego County for a 20-mile out-and-back run on the Pacific Crest Trail with a couple running buddies. The day was beautiful and the trail was rugged for the 4,400 feet of climbing which started at 4,000 feet and topped out at 5,500 feet of elevation.

The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance hiking trail mainly for thru-hiking and equestrian use. The southern terminus is on the U.S./Mexico border and travels north through California, Oregon and Washington to the U.S./Canada border—a distance of 2,650 miles.

Having researched the trail, I know that David Horton ran the entire trail, from border to border, in 67 days for an average of 40 miles per day. This put a few things into perspective for me during my little 20 miler and created the space for me to consider~~among other things~~my priorities for the 2009 racing season.

The opportunity to share the experience of running 100 miles with my whole family is far greater than any race calendar I could imagine this year. It’s now clear that my journey will take me east to attempt the Vermont 100 Endurance Run in July, with my family as my race crew!

In the meantime, I’m still fascinated and inspired by the PCT. Did you know that fewer people have thru-hiked the PCT than have climbed Mt. Everest? More fun facts .

In its entirety, the PCT can be daunting, such as anything in life. But the 125-mile stretch from the northern border of San Diego County down to the U.S/Mexico border seems “manageable” so I think its time to plan an epic!

Fresh Perspective

Active Toby — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:28:44 GMT

This weekend I attended the Endurance Sports Awards , which were held at Sea World here in San Diego. Being surrounded by all the people I read about, write about, and am inspired by, was truly an honor and a privilege. The entire evening was a treat, and a highlight for me was congratulating Dean Karnazes after he won the Ultra Runner of the Year Award.

I have been a fan of Dean’s ever since January 2006 when I read his first book, Ultramarathon Man, Confessions of an All Night Runner. My brother lent me his copy of the book to read on my flight back to San Diego from the East Coast that year. I read the whole thing before my flight landed and ran 12 miles the next day. I had never run more than 5 before then. Two weeks later, I ran my first official half marathon. Needless to say, I haven’t stopped running and growing my love for the sport. And neither has Dean.

The award he received was for his 2008 performance as an ultra runner, in which he successfully completed 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. His incredible feat was turned into a documentary film by JB Benna and then a second book, co-written by Dean with Active Expert Matt Fitzgerald . Among his other accomplishments last year, Dean became the first person to ever run all of the 4-Desert Series races in one year. Dean has truly inspired me to never stop exploring my own limits. And by his international success, it's safe to say he has inspired people all over the globe.

The night of the awards went late, but I was up before sunrise the next morning to volunteer at the Xterra Mission Gorge 15K trail run. I had such a good time helping at the aid station on the Mt. Fortuna saddle (we could see the ocean!). A bunch of pros who were in town for the ESAs showed up to race. Check out a local endurance blogger's experience finishing between two former Ironman World Champions in her post, Ironman Sandwich.

The folks at Generic Events were super cool to work with and they put on a great event. Riding in a Search and Rescue vehicle up the steep trails that I usually run was a cool change but seeing the race from the other side was a helpful reminder of why I am so passionate about this lifestyle. The weather was picture perfect, and the aid station I helped work was at the top of one of the steepest climbs on the course. It was inspiring to watch participants' faces as they reached the top and came to us for water—from the front runner to the very last participant. I strongly encourage you to volunteer at a race this season. It’s a great way to give back and is truly a rewarding experience.

Pulling Harder on Mount Whitney

Active Toby — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:44:14 GMT

Mount Whitney rests at 14,505 feet above sea level, making it the highest summit in the contiguous United States and a highly coveted ascent to hikers and climbers alike. There are multiple routes to the top ranging from day hike to alpine ascent.

In the video below, my good friend Albert Yu-Min Lin and his climbing partner Charles Ince, embarked upon what may have been the first winter “ukulele” ascent of Mount Whitney’s East Face. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind video of that climb…

[Whitney East Face Winter Climb | http://vimeo.com/] from Albert Lin on Vimeo .

They made it look easy, didn’t they? What about you – what would you bring with you to the top?

Check out more punishment reports from the Pullharder.org crew at www.pullharder.org

2008 Review 2009 Preview

Active Toby — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:08:25 GMT

Overview: Reaching my 2008 goal of completing both a 100-mile ultra marathon and an iron-distance triathlon has left me searching for an answer to the question everyone (including myself) keeps asking: “What’s next?”

2008 Review: Before sharing my intentions for 2009, let’s take a look back at the 2008 season. The year started with the Avalon 50 Mile Benefit Run in January where I learned important lessons about footwear and hyponatremia. During my recovery it was announced that the SD100 was bumped up from October to June, so I designed a periodized training plan to peak in both the spring and fall with a rest in the summer.

Just as I kicked off training in February, I was hit by car while riding my bike. As I recovered from the accident, I became more focused on my goal and after getting cleared to resume activity, I raced the Ironman 70.3 California in March. Then I went on to log serious mileage to prepare for the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run in June. Successfully completing the SD100 remains my proudest moment as an endurance athlete.

After a short break in the summer, I started in with triathlon training and used the Accenture Chicago Triathlon in August as a tune-up race, put in serious work on the bike and then finished off the season with the Silverman 140.6 in November.

2009 Preview: My intention is to continue to explore my potential and redefine my limits in 2009 as an individual and endurance athlete. I am registering for the 2009 Southern California Ultra Runners Grand Prix Series which features races of 50K, 50M, 100K and 100M in various state park and national forest systems in Southern California. There are typically 20 races throughout the year and the Gran Prix points are awarded for one’s top 6 performances. In addition to racing 6 of these events, there are a few other events that have caught my eye but you’ll have to stay tuned to learn more about these

Recap: It’s hard to believe I have been keeping the Active Toby's Adventure Blog for well over a year now. Looking back on previous entries is a helpful reminder of what progress looks like. I have learned so many valuable lessons from these experiences, met incredible people, visited amazing places and took in absolutely beautiful scenery. I cannot thank you enough for believing in me and joining me as I pursue my dreams.

Yours in adventure,

Toby Guillette

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Read my 2007 Review - 2008 Preview

High Desert Delights

Active Toby — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:02:45 GMT

Overview: Last weekend I camped in Joshua Tree National Park, went trail running, shot photos of my friends climbing, started a new book and enjoyed a roaring campfire with my friends.

-Photo by Haunani

Joshua Tree group trip: The trip was a blast as usual. I got to hang with bunch of good friends and get to know some cool new folks too. They all went rock climbing during the day while I ran the Boy Scout trail to Indian Cove and back to redeem myself for my trial run on that route a year ago that resulted in a day-long punishment report. Last year I lost the trail early and was lost in a wonderland of boulders the size of buildings with out water or food. I also lost my favorite running shirt somewhere out there too. I know this was not intelligent. To prove I learned my lesson, I returned this year wearing my hydration pack and ran the 18-mile out-and-back route in 3 hours and ran another 2 miles between hitching rides back to camp all in less than 4 hours.

Here’s the map of the route.

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View in satellite mode to see the massive boulder fields

Photos: I shot photos of my friends climbing on Sunday morning before our 3-hour drive back to San Diego. Below are a few of my favorites the rest are on my Flickr photo site.

New Book: I started reading Alaska Tracks, Footprints in the Big Country from Ambler to Attu by Ned Rozell after my trail run on Saturday. Rozell is a contributing editor and outdoor/natural history column writer for Alaska Magazine . His paperback is a collection of adventures throughout the Alaskan backcountry where his experiences in nature parallel his own personal and professional growth. This book was recommended to me by my editor since publishing in this or similar form is one of my longer-term career goals. So far I’ve finally started to realize how much work it’s going to take to get there. As you know, I enjoy working hard and I’m excited to take on the challenge. Just imagine another few years of crazy adventures, photos, video, races, travel and experiences all neatly packaged and delivered to you by yours truly

Holidays: I love the holidays because it’s the one of the only times I see my family. My trip back east begins Friday night and I’ll be working remotely until the second week of January. I’m so excited to “visit” New England and do all the traditional stuff we do as a family. Each year I look forward to it more than the last.

Recap: I’ll be sure to check in and update my blog once a week so check back and be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed if you haven’t already for auto-delivery.

Winter night in Downtown San Diego

Links of interest this month:

Southern California Ultra Series

The Road to Moab

Active Toby — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:58:10 GMT

Overview: The Thanksgiving holiday afforded my friend and I the opportunity to explore southeast Utah where we logged over 1800 miles on the road, backpacked amongst ancient ruins, mountain biked 2 famous trails, slept in a solar-powered yurt and only showered once!

Kane Gulch: The 12-hour, 750-mile drive from San Diego to Utah finished atop of the Mokey Dugway just outside of Mexican Hat, UT at 4:30am. We parked the truck off the road, pitched the tent and got 5 hours of much needed sleep. We awoke to a grey sky and a breath-taking view of the Monument Valley and the Valley of the Gods.

With rain in the forecast we knew our backpacking trip through Kane Gulch and into Grand Gulch was risky since flash flooding can occur from .2 to .5 inches of rainfall. This route is best known for the well-preserved collection of Anasazi aka Ancient Pueblo People ruins in this canyon from 1200 BC. Tim and I really wanted to explore this area so we decided to give it a shot despite the eminent danger. To safeguard, we shared our itinerary with our emergency contacts, registered with the Kane Gulch ranger station and designated an escape route through a side canyon 11 miles into the loop.

Here's the trip plan:

The scenery was beautiful as we made our way through the flat and into the wash which led way into the canyon. Our pack weight was a reasonable 40 pounds which made for a pace of roughly 3mph. At mile 7, we came across the first set of ruins. It was fascinating to see the small little dwellings, the petroglyphs and the pot shards. It was like an outdoor and interactive museum. After a few more miles of trekking, we set up camp and ate dinner just as the rain started at 6:30pm.

Thanksgiving Day: By morning, the rain hadn't let up and was only getting worse. The tent was beginning to leak and water was flowing down the trail like a stream. Our camp site was at the junction of the side canyon we designated as our escape route so we made the logical decision and called off the rest of the trek. Our escape route was by no means a walk in the park. This was rugged third-class scrambling over boulders, through streams and up steep and slippery cliffs. By the time we reached the highway and started trekking alongside the road, we were cold and wet but knew we made the right to get out. A mile later, 2 cars stopped and gave us a ride back to our truck at the ranger station which was a much needed morale boosted. The group was from Arizona and they were planning to do the same route we were until our story convinced them otherwise.

Here's the slideshow:

Once we were back on the road, the rain turned to snow as we climbed in altitude. Our friend's yurt in Monticello, UT sits at 7,500 feet and already had a couple inches of accumulation. It was a relief to take refuge in the warm and dry yurt and to eat our backpackers Thanksgiving feast.

The next day we met the rest of the folks staying at the yurt. The snow let up so we cleaned our gear, helped out with projects around the newly constructed yurt, made a run into town for supplies and feasted on real Thanksgiving leftovers with our friends.

Slickrock: The rest of the group went to rock climb at Indian Creek while we made the drive into Moab to ride the famous Slickrock trail. On the drive to the trail, we dropped off the recycling from the yurt at the Canyonlands Community Recycling Center. I couldn't believe how beautiful the terrain was with the La Sal Mountains to the east.

Our ride at Slickrock was a real eye-opener. I was pretty nervous when we first got going because the rock was still wet in places from precipitation the day before which made for some sketchy climbs and descents. My wheels were literally slipping and spinning out at times. I stayed in my easiest gearing for the majority of the ride because when we weren't climbing straight up, we were dropping into a freakishly steep descent met by another steep climb. I was exhausted by the time we completed the main loop but back at the mountain bike shop I purchased a 5-minute shower which really lifted my sprits (and 4 days worth of dirt). Where to get a shower in Moab

Here's the slideshow:

Porcupine Rim: On our final day, we decided to kick it up a notch and attempt the point-to-point mountain bike route known as the Porcupine Rim Trail. The four of us dropped a car off at the end point and shuttled to the top. The ride started with a few miles of very technical climbing before reaching the ridge and beginning the descent back into Moab. The entire ride took us four hours and was the highlight of our trip. The views from the top were incredible, the terrain was technical and fun and our group enjoyed the whole experience. We finished the day off with a great meal and a few pints at the Moab Brewery.

Here's the slideshow:

Recap: This experience was just what I needed to celebrate my passion for adventure, the outdoors and our beautiful country although it does seem unconventional in the traditional sense of Thanksgiving in America. I did have the chance to speak with my family back east while they were together for the holiday and continued the family tradition of finding the family Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. I am very much looking forward to joining them in two weeks to finish the year together, celebrate all that was 2008 and get excited for another year of adventure in 2009. Happy Holidays!

Visit Yurtcation.com for rental info

Off-season: Moab Adventure

Active Toby — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:06:26 GMT

Overview: After an incredible 11 months of training and competition, the off-season is here! Recovery from Silverman has been smooth and I’m super excited to explore Moab next week and return with clearer goals and intentions for 2009.

Silverman: The recovery process has been minimal; Achilles tendons were swollen for a few days after the race but besides that, all systems are good to go. Despite feeling well physically, I continue to pass on opportunities to join friends who are training and working out. I need the psychological break in routine because I know: 1.) run mileage will ramp up significantly in mid-January and 2.) 2009 is going to be as big if not bigger than this year.

Moab: This year’s Thanksgiving road trip destination is Moab in Southeast Utah. The tradition started in 2005 with a backpacking trip in Zion Nat’l Park and last year in Grand Canyon Nat’l Park. Unfortunately the forecast calls for rain. We’ll see what changes over the weekend. My main concern is flash flooding in the canyons where we’ll be backpacking. Either way, the plan is to be all geared up and make safe game time decisions based on the conditions. I’ll be sure to send mobile updates along the way but am looking forward to stepping off the grid as well. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday where/however you choose to celebrate.

Recap: Following a break-through year of training and competition, it’s really important I recover both physically and psychologically. It’s also important to address some of the physical imbalances that are inherent with a full multisport season. We’ll get more into that after the Thanksgiving break so I’ll catch you all back here after the holiday. Make it a great one! ~Toby

Busy but good busy

Active Toby — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:56:25 GMT

Between work, tapering for the SD100, preparing all the logistics for the race and the rest of my life, things have been very busy lately. As you'll see from this post, I've got nothing to complain about. Life is good and I've never been happier. Thanks again to everyone for the emails, phone calls and messages. I'll post more about the countdown to the race next week, beginning on Monday. In the meantime, check out whats going down here in SD:

Competitor Magazine and The Triathlon Club of San Diego hosted an evening with running legend Dean Karnazes and filmmaker JB Benna last night at the historic La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas. There was Papa Johns Pizza for sale before the show and I loaded up on 5 slices. This reminds me; everyone keeps telling me how skinny I look--what’s up with that? It’s definitely something new for me to hear but I feel great and stronger than ever so that’s all that matters right now before the big race next weekend. It’s not skinny, its “lean” come on people, get it right Oh and now that I mention it, I went another hole smaller on my belt this morning…

...Now back to the show. The president of TCSD, Brian Long, publicly thanked the heroes who came to the assistance of club member, Dave Martin, who was tragically killed in the shark attack last month. They were called up on stage and met with a standing ovation from the sold out theater. It was a very special moment and I’m glad they were recognized for their brilliant actions under the most unfortunate of circumstances.

In addition to the Ultramarathon man himself, there were so many endurance athletes in attendance; the energy in that room was uncanny. I especially enjoyed meeting Jimmy from our beloved Marine Corp Marathon online community. He’s in town for the San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday and we sat together during the movie. Jimmy has run tons of marathons and from the sounds of it; he’ll be crossing over to the ultra marathon scene pretty soon. We both agree, the film is great and even better news; the film has been selected for national syndication.

Dean is truly inspirational and his values of inclusion of others and the promotion of health and fitness on a national scale make him a hero in my eyes and you'll see from the movie that he has a growing number of loyal followers who have all been inspired. After the showing, Dean Karnazes and JB Benna the filmmaker were on stage for a QnA. Dean actually ran from Sonoma to San Diego for the movie premier, traveling the coast from Mission to Mission along the way to raise awareness for their delapatated condition. He covered 700 miles in a week and a half and he's running the San Diego RnR Marathon this Sunday. Next week, he’s' off to run across the Gobi Desert as he attempts the 2nd race in the Desert Grand Slam Series. Dean keep's a that gets a little bit more attention than mine but maybe one day I'll get comments like he does

Here's the trailer from the film but keep a lookout because it will be in theaters this summer. Check the JourneyFilm website for updates. Without further adieu:

Tomorrow, I'm going to fit in a quick 13-mile run and head over to Barnes and Noble to finally meet Active Expert Matt Fitzgerald and film his Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Pre-Race Clinic called "The Art and Science of Marathon Pacing." Matt will speak for 30 minutes and then answer questions. Copies of Brain Training for Runners will be available for purchase and signing. For more information including time and directions, check out the Endurance Sports Blog.

Best of luck to Jimmy and the rest of you all running the marathon on Sunday. I'm playing chauffeur, super-fan and photographer for my friends who are running the marathon to help repay my debt for their support next weekend as my crew team at SD100. I'll be out at the start on the east side of 6th street, on the little bridge above the band when your heading south on Park blvd., then down on the west side of the 163 and over at the finish line taking pictures and video.

Make it a great weekend everyone!

~Toby

Slideshow

Active Toby — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:26:27 GMT

These are some of my favorite pictures taken last year. Enjoy the show!

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2007 Review - 2008 Preview

Active Toby — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:48:06 GMT

Last night, I installed aero bars and a forward angled seat post to convert my road bike to a triathlon setup. I received some helpful tips from folks in the discussion boards so if you’re ever looking to make the switch, check out our dialogue: Road to Tri bike conversions.

Tomorrow morning, I’m meeting Airey and jesse@active for a 50-mile ride to test this new positioning. It’s going to be important to pay close-attention to my biomechanics because new muscles will be activated. There will be more stress on my neck, lower-back and hamstrings. I’m looking forward to the change in my training to prepare for the Ford Ironman 70.3 California.

I'm going to hit the lap pool on Sunday morning and enjoy another non-impact active recover/triathlon training session. Carrie Smith has kindly provided the following swim workout:

500 swim

8x50

300 swim

2x100

100 swim

The Avalon 50 took a lot out of me both physically and mentally. I’ve been resting all week, eating healthy and getting to sleep early each night. I’ve used the muscle stick for massage and a yoga class to salvage flexibility so my body has recovered from the soreness and my hips are no longer tight. Along with the physical repercussions, mentally, I’ve been in a slump all week and I’m finally beginning to come out of it. It’s hard to explain the way I’ve felt, but it’s actually been pretty depressing. It’s kind of scary for me because I am always so positive, no matter what, and this week has been a challenged to keep an upbeat attitude.

Despite the “runner’s low,” each day has been better than the last and I’ve used this time to reflect on my accomplishments in 2007 and also plan out 2008. This past year has been a dream--just look at this list of activities!

1/13/2007	Owens River Gorge rock climbing/Lake Sabrina snowshoe
1/21/2007	Mount San Jacinto tramway hike to summit
2/10/2007	New Jack City rock climbing
2/17/2007	Mount Whitney MR attempt
3/31/2007	Lake Hodges 50-km ultra run
4/7/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
6/23/2007	Sequoia NP backpacking/Sawtooth Peak hike to summit
7/14/2007	TCSD Beginner Race 3000M/11M/2M
7/29/2007	Solana Beach Triathlon Relay
8/11/2007	Mt. Disappointment 50K/50M Ultra Run
8/25/2007	San Bernardino Traverse aka 9-Peak Traverse
9/1/2207	Yosemite NP backpacking hike to Half Dome
9/9/2007	Mt. Russell via Fish Hook Arête
9/20/2007	SDTC Aquathon 1000M/3Mile
9/22/2007	Joe Decker World's Fittest Man Boot camp workout
9/23/2007	La Jolla Cove 10-Mile Relay Swim
9/29/2007	Noble Canyon 50-km ultra run
10/17/2007	Kings Canyon NP/Buttermilks rock climbing
10/26/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/17/2007	Malibu Creek SP rock climbing
11/25/2007	Grand Canyon NP backpacking trip
12/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP/Boyscout trail run
12/16/2007	52-mile Penasquitos trail run

2008 is going to be a big year and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you all. Over the course of this year, I am going to train and compete in effort to build my endurance for the main event in October: The San Diego 100.

Please join me for another awesome year in adventure!!!

2008 race preview:

1/12/2008	Avalon 50 Mile Ultra Run
2/9/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/12/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/29/2008	Ironman-70.3 Oceanside, CA
4/19/2008	Leona Divide 50 Mile Ultra Run
5/10/2008	PCT 50 Mile Ultra Run
6/8/2008	Teva Mountain Games 10KM Spring Runoff
6/29/2008	San Diego International Triathlon
9/29/2008	Noble Canyon 50KM Ultra Run
10/20/2008	San Diego 100 Mile Ultra Run

Joshua Tree NP trail run/group camping trip

Active Toby — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:45:53 GMT

I covered somewhere around 18-miles on Saturday in Joshua Tree National Park. It took me over five hours because I lost the trail and continued to scramble my way over a mountain pass in effort to make it a looping out-and-back route. I guess I lost the correct trail pretty early on. This might have been because of how absorbed I was in listening to Into the Wild on audiobook.

Despite the lack of water and calories, I still finished feeling good and now I'm confident that Sunday's 50-mile training run in Penasquitos Canyon will go well. I'm teaming up with Joe Decker's group for four, 13-mile loops. With the support of these awesome folks, Sunday should be a breeze. Stay tuned for how it all works out. Thanks for reading!

Blog Posts From Active Toby's Adventure Blog Tagged With exploring

CA 14ers: Palisades Traverse (Fail #2)

The Blueprint

Spring Cleaning

Steadfast

Inspiration from the PCT

Fresh Perspective

Pulling Harder on Mount Whitney

2008 Review  2009 Preview

High Desert Delights

The Road to Moab

Off-season: Moab Adventure

Busy but good busy

Slideshow

2007 Review - 2008 Preview

Joshua Tree NP trail run/group camping trip

2008 Review 2009 Preview