 Our eclectic group of hikers. That little girl on the left practically ran down the mountain and finished the hike before everyone else! Not too long ago, I embarked with a group of seven others to climb the tallest mountain in New England. You may remember that I climbed Mount Washington for the first time last year (trip report here). Even though our route was the same, the second time around brings with it a completely new experience and many new insights that weren’t apparent upon the first ascent. Granted, Mt. Washington is little more than a hill compared to the Rocky Mountains and many others around the world. Still, it’s far more challenging than most climbs – and one of the most challenging day hikes on this side of the U.S.A.
There have been hikes that upon completion, have left me utterly exhausted. This was not one of them. Yes, there was fatigue. Yes, there was need of rest. But to such a lesser extent compared to many other hikes I’ve done. If anything, I felt tired, but also rejuvenated after finishing. During last years trip, I noticed that I was far less fatigued than I had expected to be from such a grueling hike. This time, I’ve experienced minimal fatigue while climbing and after finishing – to an even greater degree, and I think I know why.
Continue reading Hiking Mount Washington – Barefoot and Fasted
Plus Follow-up From Barefoot Ken Bob’s Running Workshop
 Click for Larger Image Our culture has made a mess of running. You’d think a simple, pleasurable physical activity wouldn’t produce widespread problems, but we’ve butchered running to the point of near death with it having some of the highest injury statistics of all physical activities. Fortunately, there’s a revolution sweeping the running community that is changing people’s perspectives about running – and it all revolves around the idea of going barefoot. The coolest part is that anyone can start re-learning how to run immediately, and you won’t even need to buy expensive, high-tech shoes. Before we get to the tutorial, here’s some background information to whet your appetite.
A couple weeks ago, Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton (interview with him here) visited Cambridge, MA to teach a barefoot running workshop. It was raining for the 2 hour presentation and Q+A, but that didn’t stop dozens of runners from coming out to learn from one of the worlds best barefoot running experts. I’ve never seen so many people barefoot in my life (except at the beach)! So much was shared during that time, and I wanted to forward on some of the most valuable advice I gleaned from the experience.
Continue reading Learn the Skill of Barefoot Running
Dehydration had set in a couple hours earlier, but I wasn’t counting the time, nor did I have any idea what the real time actually was. My mouth was past the point of dry, and had developed a sticky film that sealed my lips shut, smacked against my teeth. My tongue was stuck to the top of my mouth until I forcibly unhinged my jaw to take a deep breath. I could feel the slime stringing between my lips as I wiped my mouth. Probably afternoon, I muttered. I’ve been dehydrated before, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been this dry on such a hot day.
The sun was directly overhead, making it impossible to tell which direction was north, and we were forced to rely on our intuition, which was truly more of a guess. We could be anywhere and heading in any direction, but we weren’t too worried. This particular forest isn’t too big. Walk in a straight line long enough and we were bound to hit a road eventually. Still, it didn’t help that we had no map and no compass. The trail system looked simple enough from the map we had looked at before departing. Follow red trail to blue trail to yellow, which brings us back to red. Simple enough, but it wasn’t so simple. Either we’re terrible map readers, or the map was too far outdated. Somehow, we managed to get lost in the woods, but you never say “we’re lost” when you’re out in the bush.
The bugs were swarming around us like a black cloud, and I gave up whacking mosquitoes a long time ago. I resolved to allow the hitch-hikers a warm drink as long as they didn’t take more than they needed. Some ended up mangled into my arm hair in a splash of blood – reminding me of a painting by Claude Monet. Your mind wanders when you’re approaching heat stroke.
My dog, Ronin, had disappeared into the dense brush a few minutes ago as he usually does when he catches a scent, only this time he hadn’t returned. I had noticed earlier that he was getting hot and nearing heat exhaustion, so I was worried he may have layed down somewhere to rest. We slowed our trot to a halt and began wandering back to find him. After a minute or two of calling for him, he emerges in a crashing wave of brush and leaves – dripping wet from a nearby swamp that he used to cool off and rehydrate. His tank was full, but we were approaching empty.
You know you’re dehydrated when your eyes start drying out.
Continue reading A twisted ankle, questionable bullfrog hallucinations, a swamp beaver rescue squad, and how it relates to your health and fitness
Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton about barefoot running, but also about all aspects of going barefoot. To say I was surprised by the sheer volume of wisdom he shared in our 1+ hour conversation would be an understatement. My expectations were blown out of the water as [...]
A couple weeks ago, I posted a video about a professor who has put a nail in the coffin of the shoes versus barefoot debate. This is the LAST WORD on why going barefoot is better than wearing shoes. In my mind, there’s not even grounds for a debate anymore. There is an abundant [...]
Note: In this photo, my buddy Tellman Knudson, is running barefoot in the city of lower Manhattan. He’s currently on his way to the West Coast to be the first man to run barefoot across America with the goal of raising awareness and money for homeless children. More info at www.runtellmanrun.com
Don't listen [...]
Christopher McDougall on Barefoot Running at Google
The first 30 minutes is the presentation, and the next 30 are Q+A. Chris shares some real gems in here, and I highly recommend his book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Ted McDonald on Going [...]
|
|
