Zion Panoramic

I took a few panoramic shots too.  

The weird color change is due to sunlight.

Click on them to enlarge.

The last one is Bryce Canyon National Park.

All others are from Zion.

Zion Crossing Photos

Click here to see the photos I took during the traverse.
(Click on the first photo then next next next...)

ZION CROSSING

My training this summer simply wasn't enough to cover the entire 48.3 mile traverse without turning into a "death march" and risking an IT Band flareup, so JT started from the very southern entrance called "East Entrance", and then I joined in at the next entry point called "The Grotto", which was about 10-11miles later.  We ran all the way up to the Northern trail head known as "Lee Pass".

While cutting off 10 miles was the best idea for my fitness, this also meant that I missed what JT described as his favorite part of the day, and also meant I started my day on legs that weren't very warmed up, in around 40-43F, going straight up for 90 minutes. (ouch)

We ended up missing 2 turns which meant back tracking, which added around 3 miles (and 35 minutes) to our day, so JT ended up with 50+ and I ran right about 40.  My day started at 9:04am and lasted till 7:29pm. (10 hours 25 minutes) .  

I have some photos that I will post later, that I think really showcase the park, just haven't had time to transfer from phone and regular camera.  Hopefully in next 24 hours.

For those of you interested in seeing what crossing Zion National park might be/look like, here's a little video I put together from our weekend run.  It is 15 minutes long, which means I have condensed a 625 minute adventure into 15.  I filmed while running, so it's a little bouncy, but I think it gives you a great sense of the huge variety of terrain that makes up Zion National park.

So here you go... here's my summary on how awesome this run was!!

(Technical: I filmed it in HighDefinition, and uploaded it in 720P which is an option on youtube dot com, so if you're picky about quality, then maybe go there and choose 720p from the 360default. Unless you can upgrade this embedded player.)

Logistics:

We ran Saturday. 

Friday we stayed in: 

Canyon Ranch Motel

(Great location, shuttle that takes you to Zion park is right across the street.  Within a short 5-10min walk from multiple restaurant options)
http://www.canyonranchmotel.com/index.html

Saturday night we stayed in:
Days Inn Cedar City, UT

(it was the best "cheap hotel" I've ever stayed in.  I think it was pretty new.  Bathtub open till 10pm, which felt great on sore muscles.  Dog friendly)
Exit 57 off I-15

Initially the plan looked like it would only be JT and I.  This meant dropping a car off Friday night up north so we would have transportation out.  JT's girlfriend ended up being able to join us, which not only was a big help to transport our stuff, but she was also a very irmportant piece to the puzzle, as she met us with about 13 miles to go.   This was HUGE.  There were supposed to be 6 water sources, but only found one.  So being able to refill, eat, drink beverage of choice etc, was AWESOME.   It would have been problematic to go an additional 13 miles without water.

Bit & Spur is the happening bar on a Friday night in Springdale.  Decent selection of microbrews on tap, and pitchers weren't too expensive.

Cedar Point (north side) doesn't have much choice in original restaurants, to Chili's is pretty much your best bet post run. 

Lee Pass trailhead is off I-15 on exit 40.  About 25min drive from Days Inn and Cedar Point, UT.  

It's $25 for a Park pass. It is valid for 4 or 5 days.  KEEP the receipt ON YOU.  I needed it 2 more times over the weekend.

After spending Sunday in Bryce Canyon (1.5-1:45min drive from Cedar Point), i drove back to St George which took about 2.5 hours, spent the night at the Days Inn (so much crappier, but still ok).   Bear Paw Coffee Shop is just a mile away, and serves a great breakfast before the 2 hour 15 min drive back to Vegas to catch 12:25 flight.

(There is a 1 hour time difference between Nevada and Utah, so you have an extra hour to make it back to your flight.   While Bear Paw was tasty, next time, I may get up earlier, drive to Vegas and fill up at a nice buffet breakfast on salmon, king crab, omelettes and whatever else the Wynn, Mandalay, or Bellagio serves up!)

The Zion route is set.

JT and I are Heading out to Zion in 17 days.

• Flight to Vegas - Check!
• Car Rental - Check!
• Hotels at both ends - Check!  
• All other logistics - Ummmm.... We still have 17 days, right?

Seems like hardly anyone knows where Zion is, so here you go.  Red "A" marks the spot.  I'll fly in to Las Vegas then drive up, while JT will drive in from Colorado Springs.

Here's what we were going to run:

The elevation chart below depicts the typical (and what seems to be the most popular) start from on the North Western corner of the park, then running towards the South Eastern corner.

However, we've decided to do the reverse, which is depicted on the elevation chart below:

  

Start on the South Eastern side, and run up to the Northwestern corner instead.  It seems like it will be a much more pleasant run, as I'd much rather have to dig my way out of that hole at mile 12-17 than at mile 37-40.

I'm going to need more than one turkey sandwich for this run.

Zion Update

It was painful to do, and I postponed the email for a few days, but I finally sent a note to JT today to let him know there's no way I'll be ready to run the full 50 miles and 10K of climbing by the first week of October.

I hate people who gives excuses for coming up short on day-to-day things, so much so that one of my favorite quotes is:  "Excuses are the foundation to the house of failure.", so I guess I need to lump myself in with those weaklings.  My reasons are simple:

1-

Travel for work has been and will continue to be a little crazy. 

• In the last 4 weeks I've been on a plane to Vermont; Cincinnati & Dayton Ohio; Chicago; San Diego & Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• The next 3 weeks have me going to Tampa FL; Columbus Ohio; and Portland OR. 

(All were or will be 3 or 4 day trips) 

I've really tried to run regardless of travel, but it's not as simple as one might think.  Clothes and shoes remain wet and stinky throughout the trip.  I have to carry 24 pounds worth of demo equipment in my suitcase which takes up quite a bit of room.  The actual travel days make it a challenge to run as there's a meeting lumped in there after arrival, or prior to departure, so it's hard to squeeze in the run. If I was travelling alone, it would be a different story, but until I am 100% self-sufficient, these are 2 person trips, so I'm kind of forced to go to dinners, bfast etc., which makes things even tougher. 

2- 

When I am home, the stupidly hot weather has limited me topping out at 28 miles or 5hr30min runs before my brain boils on my weekend long runs.  I just can't get past that distance or time.  I refuse to run any earlier than 5am start, which means I'm running into almost noon.  It's just been brutal and impossible to to run more than that, especially on my own.  I did run one night run starting at 7pm with a buddy, but night running is slower and I just don't like to do it repeatedly.  I have done a decent job getting many 4+ hour, even 5.5 hours runs in, but it's simply not enough when the Zion traverse will take 12-14 hours.  

It really sucks, but it's reality.  Had I not been injured for 10 months, then I'd be be ready, but I'm not.

Oh, and then there's the little issue of stupidly messing up my back on Saturday morning so i wasn't able to run this weekend or today.  It's getting better, and i should be able to run either tomorrow or Wednesday, but it just adds to the lack of running and time is running out. 

There are some options out there, and we're discussing those.

Ok, I feel bad enough about this already, so i'm done venting.

Long term plan is to build higher mileage just as soon as the weather is more appetizing, as I while I won't be thrilled about going out for many hours on my own, at least the weather will make it less uninviting.  I'm thinking 50K in Bandera, 50 miles at Rocky Raccoon, then some spring trip to wherever JT wants to go. (assuming I'm invited)

Zion Update

We've moved up our date of running across Zion from Oct 15, to Oct 8.
While this is fine by me, it does cut my training by a week which isn't ideal, but I don't think it'll make that huge a difference. What it does do tho, is eliminate my ability to go to the Oklahoma vs. Texas game in Dallas, but does now allow me not to miss the Oklahoma State game at home!

This will be part of the trail from Mile 7 - 13. (Photo by Joe Braun)

Week 7 of 24 Recap - May 6 - June 12

Monday - 5 miles - Trails with Karma. Legs felt good.
Tuesday - Rest - Weezer concert Monday night, Needed the sleep more than the run.
Wednesday - 7 miles Trail - 1 mile with Karma, then 6 miles with Cindy on the Greenbelt. Legs felt great.
Thursday - 6.5 Miles - Road.  Ran with a whole new group of runners that run a thinkg called the Dice run.  About 15 of us in total.  i ran with the front pack, which meant that this was a 6 mile tempo run for me, before i shut it down with 1/2 mile to go to cool down.  Low to mid 7's up in the hills above Zilker and Travis Heights.  ouch.  Fun group to run with, but tough run on 4.5 hours of sleep due to Improv class and post class beers at Dog 'n Duck.
Friday - 10.5 miles- Roads - With Cindy and the Paul S crew.- 1 mile with Karma prior to.  Legs were pretty tired from Thursday's hard effort.
Saturday - Trails - 17miles
Sunday - 10 miles - Trails


Goal : 50+
Total Week 7 : 56


Weekend plan was to run 4 hours Saturday, then 2 hours Sunday making it the toughest weekend so far since my return.   I couldn't round up anyone to run with Saturday so i was on my own.  The problem with that is I am not disciplined to start the time I should start, so my intended 5:30, turned into a 6:30am start.  First 30 mins were rough, almost decided to just run back and call it a day after an hour. Everything felt tired, tight, and achy.  45 mins in tho, things loosened up and the running improved.  yet again I started getting minor cramp spasms around 3 hours, even tho I hydrated well. I gutted it out and picked up the pace a bit and ended my run at 3 hours 45.  I was at the car, and just didn't feel like going for an 8 minute out and back in hot weather, sun beating me down, crampy calves, and tired.  3 hours 45 minutes with about 2,000 feet of climbing will do.  2000 isn't dramatic, but since I've stayed away from hills as much as possible, this was clearly exponentially more climbing than any other run.  (Zion is 45 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing so i have a lot of work to do to be ready by Oct 15.
Sunday the goal was to run 45 mins with Karma, which he loved, then go back out for the rest of the two hours at a much faster pace, speeding up every 20 minutes or so, ending it with 15-20 of full out sprint.  My legs weren't anchy at all from Satuday, but they were pretty dead as soon as I picked up the pace and attacked any uphills.  My all-out across the powerline was brutal, but I gave it every ounce i had left in the tank which was the goal.

Pleased with my week.
Next week: Going to aim for 50 - 55 miles again

17 weeks till Zion.

This is part of the first 11 miles along the Kolob Finger Canyons.

(Joe Braun photography)

What are you training for?

This question seems to be on everyone's mind.  No seems to be able to just run, and not have a race in mind.  Well i do have a goal, but it absolutely does not have anything to do with a race.  Simply put, I want to get my fitness up to the point where I can go run the Zion traverse.

Last year, while I still had a huge grin on my face from the grand canyon adventure, I asked JT if we were running the canyon again.  He told me he likely wouldn't run the Grand Canyon and instead would opt for the Zion traverse.  I was quite skeptic in this idea, so he actually emailed someone who had run both runs, and asked him which one he would do if he could only do one. The dude emphatically replied: "Zion, without a doubt." (or something similar ot that). 

Now that I am starting to feel like this could finally be a real possibility, i've started spending quite a bit of time looking at photos.

So I present to you what I am training for... 

The Zion National Park traverse, either in September or October.   A 47 mile trail run with JT.  At first I couldn't quite understand how something could top the Grand Canyon, but then I started seeing the pictures, and well...

(all photos by Joe Braun)