The Backbone Challenge of 2012

The Backbone Trail - Santa Monica Mountains
I am a firm believer that Los Angeles' greatest assets are its beaches and the Santa Monica Mountains.  I have spend many many hours enjoying both of these great resources, with more and more time over the past 2 years spent hiking and trail running in various parks throughout the mountains.

Constructed in segments since the early 1980's, the Backbone Trail is a series of nearly interconnected (NOTE: NEARLY) trails that traverse 67 miles through the Santa Monica Mountains.  Starting at Will Rogers Park in Pacific Palisades, adventurous hikers, runners, cyclists, and horse back riders can cover portions of the trail to their hearts content.  I recently came across information about a group of trail runners who will be covering the trail by foot over 4 weekends this Winter, and the National Parks Service offers an 8-week series of guided hikes covering the trail system. 

The Challenge:
Over the past year, Tony has been mentioning wanting to put together a run to cover the entire 67 miles of the trail in one day. So when he mentioned it again as a challenge for 2012, I immediately said yes.  A few bloggers have detailed their day-long journeys along the trail, and I immediately was attracted to a challenge that so few have completed. 

Over the next few months, we will trace the route and build our strength - hiking the trail in segments, preparing ourselves physically and mentally for the day when we will take on the entire trail. 

Training Hike #1:  Kanan Dume Rd Trailhead to Yerba Buena Trailhead
Fast forward 7 days.  January 8th was set for our first training hike.  At first we agreed to a 5.5 mile segment that heads West from Kanan Dume Rd.  But the idea of an out-and-back hike was unappealing to both of us, so Tony selected a one way hike from Kanan Dume to the Yerba Buena trailhead.  Our handy blogger recap of the trail indicated that this segment was "around 13 miles".  This section of the trail included segments marked "proposed trail" so we knew some approximation was in order.  That's what preview hikes are for, right?

Sunday morning, we hopped in the car.  Phil, recovering from a knee surgery, agreed to join in the training as a great way to quickly get back in shape.  In no time, the 3 of us were at the Kanan Dume trailhead, camelbaks full, vague instructions in hand, ready to go.  

Here are Tony and Phil prior to the embarkation of our adventure.  I would have been in the photo, but aside from the numerous cars in the parking lot, there were no other hikers around to take a photo for us. 

Off we went, Tony merrily leading the way along the trail.  This 5 mile section of the trail was a clearly marked smooth fire road.  Soon we warmed up and this January day's mid-60 degree weather could not have been better hiking weather.  For miles at a time, it was easy to forget that we were just minutes from town in either direction.... 

As we approached the Mulholland Road crossing, the path flattened out and sweeping panoramic vistas greeted us.  Tony continually joked that it might be dark or raining at this point of the "Big Day" so we better enjoy it now. 

Coming up on the Mulholland Road crossing, we reached a fork in the road.  Looking down, a makeshift directional sign pointed us to the left fork.  Lesson #1:  Do we trust our fellow hikers, or do we curse them later on? 

The arrow trail led us over a quick hill and down into a fire station and a juvenile detention camp for girls.  A friendly fireman pointed us up the road to the real trailhead exit and the main road.  At this point, we had completed the first 5 miles of the hike, and after a little fumbling around, we found the trailhead to lead us to Yerba Buena.

The hours passed, we plowed along.  This section of the trail was a beautiful wide fire road that went on - and on  - and on.  At one point, some friendly cyclists let us know that we were 9 miles into the hike.  An hour to the car...or so we thought.

Two hours (and little detour caused by some confusion over a segment of "Proposed trail" that happened to cross Yerba Buena miles away from our car), we sighted the parking lot ahead where we had parked a second car to get us home.  "Right over there" proved to be another mile or more, but soon we emerged into the parking lot - happily completing our journey in 4 1/2 hours. 

Later that evening, as we all retreated to our various states of after hiking rest, Tony forwarded me an email from the trail running group who was covering the Backbone in 4 segments.  According to their GPS estimates, we had covered 16.8 miles of the trail!  A bit more than 13, but more reinforcement that our challenge is well within reach. 

Over the next few months, we will conduct hiking previews of the remaining segments of the trail, while getting ourselves in proper shape to tackle all 67 miles at once.  Phil will continue to train with us while deciding to either join us or to call us crazy and crew for us instead.  Hopefully other friends will join in the adventure as we go.  No matter how you stack it, this journey will be my greatest physical and mental challenge to date, and I can't wait to share it with you all.  And we need really cool t-shirts as our reward!

Bring on the Backbone! 

Top 11 of 2011 - #5 - #1

2011 - What a Year! - Continued.
Continuing on with my remembrance of the mad year that was 2011, the top 5


#5 - Take That and Robbie Williams - Live at Wembley, London
March, 1996 - I made my first trip to Europe and discovered two things that I would enjoy to this day - Heathrow Terminal 3 and the group Take That.  Since I first picked up my copy of Take That's Greatest Hits, their music along with the music of former group member Robbie Williams have been on my playlist non-stop. 

Flash forward 15 years, for the first time, the entire 5 member group was reforming for a summer tour, including 8 nights at Wembley Arena in London.  The shows conveniently fell on the 4th of July week, so I cashed in my miles and made a week of it. 

This is by far the largest concert I have been to since seeing Wham! and the Pointer Sisters at the Oakland Coliseum way back in high school.  Just sitting there watching close to 90,000 fans fill a stadium was a great experience, especially from my seats off in the corner under the awning - helpful given the downpour that greated much of the show. 

The highlight was by far the chance to see Robbie Williams live, as he flew through a short set of his hits while flying across the adoring crowds.  What a night! 

Not familiar with Robbie Williams or Take That?  Essential Robbie Williams album: Escapology; Essential Take That album: The Greatest Hits (1996). 


#4 - Team Noah's Wish - LA Marathon 2011
In 2010, I ran the LA marathon for the awesome animal disaster services charity Noah's Wish.  I was so moved by the idea of running a marathon for charity, that I jumped on board as Co-Coordinator of the Noah's Wish marathon team (aka, joined Catherine to make it a 2-person show).  From comp lunches at the Hard Rock Cafe to planning sessions in Catherine's garden, we watched our ideas turn into a great marathon team. 

From July to March, we planned and planned and planned, and were greeted by the smiling faces of 20 marathon runners who joined us on the big day for what has now been dubbed the "LA Monsoon 2011."  Yet, enthusiasm never flagged, and between our marathon runners and our amazing 24 person 5-k fund raising team, we far surpassed our goal of raising money for Noah's Wish

One highlight was meeting many of our runners for the first time at the LA Marathon expo.  Over 2 days, we made new friends and got to chat with runners that we had been virtually encouraging for months. 

The dedication and hard work of our marathon and 5-k runners helped us to raise over $28,000 for Noah's Wish and in June we were named the Best Overall Charity of the LA Marathon!  Not bad for a small team who's office was Catherine's garden and our inspiration was a constant supply of Malbecs, Zinfandels, and Barbera's. 

In July, we kicked off the 2012 Marathon campaign and added the London Marathon to our list of fundraising activities!  Can't wait to see how these turn out. 

#3 - Vinoteque on Melrose
I was a huge fan of Cheers in college - something having a place to go that feels like home where everyone knows your name.  This year, Vinoteque on Melrose became my Cheers.  From the first time that Catherine and I met Ginger and Shawn for a marathon meeting, the people, the atmosphere, the great food, and the awesome wine made us never want to leave.  

While we did eventually leave, I have been there at least a dozen times in the past 6 months, always confident knowing that a relaxed good time awaited.  Whether it was holding our charity meetings, or bringing friends new and old to dinner, Ryan, Erin, and gang are always there with a hug and joke.  Or in the case of December, an Ugly Sweater.....

Just when it couldn't get better, came the discovery of Vinoteque trivia night.  Spending a Wednesday night in cutthroat competition with other tables to win a bottle of wine and come up with the best team name is the perfect escape from the regular routine. 

The trivia team is now a monthly fixture, with the membership changing each month, but know that I am there with competitive Courtney fighting to take home the prize. 

My favorite prize winning team name, when we were Lindsay Lohan's probation officers, complete with nametags and stickers courtesy of Catherine! 

Vinoteque on Melrose
7469 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA
(310) 860-6060
Open at 5pm Tuesday- Sunday

#2 - Surviving the Challenges of the Year
In between the good moments and memories of each year, life keeps throwing us challenges to make us stronger.  This year had its fair share of real bummers.  In addition to the way-too-early passing of my friend and co-worker Marianne, some of my friends lost close ones well before their time.  And then there are those times when you just don't know how destiny is going to call it.  In February, my mom went into the hospital to have a kidney removed, in hopes of finally putting to rest years of ill effects resulting from various medical treatments over the year. 

After too many hospital admissions to count, many of them accompanied by my impromptu flights to and from San Jose, by Spring, there was some color in her cheeks for the first time in weeks. 

While the road to recovery has not been easy, nor is it necessarily over, a high point in her recovery came at Thanksgiving when she determined to host Thanksgiving dinner for 18 - just because she should.  So after running the Torrance Turkey Trot with Mary, I popped into the car, and 5.5 hours later pulled up just as the turkey was coming out of the oven - a surprise visit that made her day.  Here's hoping to continued recovery in 2012.  My brother and I joke that this little 4'9" woman will be roaming the aisles of WalMart long after we both are admitted to the retirement home. 

And there are those whose near brushes really throw us for a loop.  In October, Catherine went in for a "simple knee surgery" in hopes of getting into London shape for 2013, 48 hours later a blood clot threw Catherine and everyone around her into a life changing loop.  How is that possible, given the impossibly glamorous pre-op photo that Catherine surely commissioned from a Vogue photographer. 

Not the time or place for details, but I am thrilled to say on December 30th, I sat on a couch with Catherine and her husband Tony, plotting our adventures for 2012 over a cup of tea. 

#1 - Friends
I am the first to admit I am very fortunate.  I have a great job that rewards me for my hard work.  I live in a wonderful city, and have created a world where I can enjoy what live has to offer, whether it is food, concerts, wine, travel, or my running.  But none of these would mean anything without friends to enjoy them with.  This year has been a particularly bountiful year, with friendships growing and several significant new friendships blossoming.  I have always been selective and sheltered when it comes to making new friends, but the fact that this year I can add the names Courtney, Sharona, Christian, Ryan, Erin, Janae, Ginger, Shawn, Mel, Shannon, Allison, Mary, and several others to my list of people that I am fortunate enough to spend time with makes me the richest man in the world today.  And this is in addition to Phil, Mary, Marilyn, Helen, Catherine, Tony, Chris, Katy, and other friends who I have known for years. 

I dedicate 2011 to each of you, and look forward to sharing more awesomely great moments of 2012 with you.   Happy New Year! 

From Top to Bottom:  Me, Courtney, Kristin, Sharona, and Christian at Vinoteque Trivia Night - AKA our Brady Bunch pose.  Guess that makes me Greg. 

Bulldog 25K L to R with Nadine, Ginger, Tony, and Catherine.  Did I mention it was 106 that day! 

With Ryan, the coolest and funniest guy - at Vinoteque. 

At one of the too few dinner parties of 2011 - Humans: Phil, Catherine, Toby, Tony, and me.  Canines: Eddie, Buddy, and Sydney.  And NO we didn't break into an Adele routine that night, although I think I did promise Tony that I would complete another one of his crazy athletic challenges.  

Top 11 of 2011 - #11-6

2011 - What a Year!
What a year is no way to describe the past 12 months.  My blog is just a glimpse into the crazy world that I have created around myself, and I am grateful for the life that I have worked hard to create for myself.  I am not usually the reflective type, but this year has been so wildly varied, that I was inspired to create a best of 2011 list of my experiences this year. 


#11 - Amalfi Coast
2011 was my first time in Italy since a whirlwind visit in 1996, and at 11 days was 3 times longer than my 1996 visit.  To me, the visit really began as the tour bus passed south of Rome and reached a peak in the 3 days spent in Sorrento, Capri, and Amalfi.  3 hours in Amalfi, with its ancient architecture built into a rocky hillside, made me long for a week along the coast to explore the town, the villages, the hills, and this beautiful coast.   Something to look forward to in my best of 2020......

#10 - Hampton Court Flower Show
I have been to the Chelsea Flower Show twice - both times were magical days exploring the best garden design that one could only imagine gracing their lottery winning estates.   Since reading a Guardian article about the Hampton Court Flower show in 2009, I was eager to visit Chelsea's more relaxed, sprawling country cousin held on the grounds of King Henry VIII.

So this year, what better way to spend the 4th of July week then jet to London using miles and visit the Hampton Court Flower show?  Nothing, not even an unseasonal English July downpour, could dampen this horticultural experience.

Wearing shorts and a not-so-waterproof jacket, I enjoyed a day of garden glory, quickly forgetting how wet my underwear were.. :)

And in fine Royal Horticultural Society form, a pitcher of Pimms was cheaper than 2 glasses of Pimms, so I shared my table and sipped my summer cocktail in the rain soaked grounds of England's great 16th century monarch.....

#9 - Plan B and Eliza Doolittle at the El Rey Theater
I love living in LA.  Only in LA (or maybe New York) can you got to a small club to see some of the most talented musicians in the world performing to a crowd of 500.  I have had the pleasure of seeing some of the most talented musicians of the last 10 years at local clubs, but nothing compares to seeing a hot new talent that you can only hope the world will come to love

One Tuesday, email from Catherine - "Tix to Eliza and Plan B at the El Rey."  The El Rey is one of the best small clubs in LA.  I had seen Eliza Doolittle on Graham Norton a few weeks before, singing her retro soul pop.  A quick You Tube search of Plan B only brought me some rap music, but I said, What the Hey.  And off we went.

Thinking we would leave shortly after the Eliza set, we bopped along enjoying the sweet jazz of Eliza Doolittle,  sounding much better and fresher than her overproduced single.  Then the lights went down on the main act, and were we unprepared for what came next......

Plan B.  Blue eyed soul, the voice of Smokey Robinson, packaged with a hardcore rap roughness.  Within moments, we were sold and an hour later, fans for life of Plan B.

Essential Track:  She Said.  Check it out.

#8 - San Francisco Half Marathon
I am a sucker for a good hook.  From "No More Words" to "Gangter's Paradise" to "Don't Stop Believing - the Glee Version" - give me a good hook and I have the attention span of a drunk gnat.  So after twice running the "Stadium to the Sea" I was ready to "Cross the Golden Gate Bridge" on foot.  I wasn't about to sign up for another marathon, so when the San Francisco marathon dangled their 1st half marathon in front of me, I was sold. 

So in July, I made my way up to perhaps the best organized major race I have ever experienced.  From expert start line management to the Jameson's Irish Coffee at the finish line, I was enamored by the SF Marathon experience.  So enamored, I am planning on running the full marathon on July 29th, 2012.  If my calendar holds, it will be #10 for me........

#7 - Don Schlitz Live at the Casbah - Durham, NC
January was tough, February sucked, whole watches of winter are a blur.   Yet the year moved on, and soon we were planning a major international meeting at work to be held at Duke University in North Carolina.

In the week that we would be in the Raleigh/Durham area, I searched the local clubs for entertainment to add some levity to the "Science of the Future."  Then I came across the Casbah and Don Schlitz.  Don Schlitz is a songwriter from Durham, NC, most famous for writing Kenny Roger's "The Gambler" immortalized in my Gen X brain from the Muppet Show:

You couldn't say "Kenny Rogers and the Gambler" fast enough and soon I was organizing a trip for a dozen graduate students and postdocs to see a songwriter in concert they had never heard of.  Needless to say, Don Schlitz in concert was # 2 of my musical highlight of the year, and not just because we chatted about Gwyneth Paltrow.

The humor and humility in the show was enough to lift my spirits and awaken a whole new generation of music lovers to the gift of the songwriter showcase.   It was a night we will never forget, even if we were greeted by a torrential downpour making our way from the show to the pub afterwards!

#6 - Catalina Eco Marathon
March's LA Marathon was my 8th marathon, and I had my eyes on #9 for a while.  Catalina had been on my mind for 2 years, with the Eco Marathon tempting me with their lure of a trail marathon and the call of the buffalo.  I waivered up until the day I won a free entry into the Catalina marathon.  Within 24 hours, my ferry and hotel were booked for a November weekend of running the rustic trails of Catalina Island.  Then came the rain, and the floods, and the re-routing, and the doubt.

But did I ever consider not running Catalina?  No.  So I layered up, and off I went on a cold November morning after 2 inches of rain blasted the trails.  So I embarked on a lovely run in the clouds, easily completing the "Second Most Beautiful" marathon I have ever completed - after the 2010 Eden Marathon of course.

The highlight of the run, which took - if memory serves me - 24 oz coffee, 2 benadryls, 4 ibroprofens, 2 red bulls, 1 Sierra Nevada Ale to complete - was posing with the Biebster at mile 23. 

I sang Oh Baby Baby Baby Oh - all the way home as I passed dozens of runners on my way to the finish line of #9!

Next Up:  Best of 2011 - #5 - #1   

Red Rock Canyon - Las Vegas, Nevada

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
The highlight of my recent weekend in Vegas was by far my all too brief visit to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.   

Located about 15 miles outside of Vegas (about 25-30 minutes drive, depending on traffic), the conservation area is a nature lovers heaven.  For a small fee of $7 per car, you can enter the park and drive a 13 mile scenic loop that brings you close to the foothills of the sandstone mountains. 

It was a clear day, so the red color variations of the rocks stand out both from near and up close.  Since the park is located in the high desert, the lowest point is about 3500 feet above sea level, so I wasn't surprised to see remnants from the previous weekend's snow on the ground. 

I would have loved to spend a whole day exploring the hiking trails, or doing some very basic climbing along the rocks.  There are about 7 or 8 parking zones along the scenic loop from which you can explore.  All around the valley, the mountains were full of climbers, and the scenic loop had dozens of cyclists and runners enjoying the route.  Since there are few cars and the road is one way, it is easy to navigate the road by foot for those longer training runs.   

At the visitor center, there are exhibits about the natural wildlife and fauna of the valley, including information about the local desert turtle.  Anticipating my frustration at that evening's half marathon, I admit I took out a teeny bit of anger at the stone turtle.  :)

If my travels bring me back to Vegas, I will definitely pack a lunch and my hiking shoes and head off on foot to explore the canyon more closely. 

Next time you are in Vegas, step away from the casinos and enjoy this piece of natural beauty.  

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
State Route 159
Approximately 15 miles from the Vegas Strip
Automobile Entry Fee $7
Annual Pass $30
Open Daily - Hours vary by season

Rock N Roll Vegas 1/2 Marathon

Rock N' Roll Vegas 1/2 Marathon
Sunday, December 4

Several friends of mine ran the Rock N Roll Vegas run in 2010, and couldn't stop raving about how fun it was to run a race along the famous Vegas Strip.  So this year, the organizers moved the race to nighttime in a bid to up the allure.  Well the marketing paid off, and I signed up back in July.  This race also marked my friend Ginger's 12th half marathon in 12 months, completing a challenge she had set for herself.  Since we ran 5 of those races together, how appropriate to be there when she completed #12! 

This was my first trip to Vegas in almost a decade, and I have to admit I had a really fun time, including taking time to visit the stunning Red Rock Canyon (next post).  I anticipated a nighttime race on the strip with a projected 44,000 runners for the marathon and half combined meant that logistics would be rough, so I made my way to Mandalay Bay a few hours before the start time - plenty of time to watch the full marathoners leave the start gate. 

The marathon diverts from the strip for the first 13 miles, rejoining the half marathon course shortly after the half marathon gun.  All I can say is thankfully, I was not running the marathon, because 3 hr marathon runners coming face to ass with thousands and thousands and thousands of runners and walkers is surely a recipe for frustration and disaster. 

After the marathon runners headed off, I made may way into the Mandalay Bay convention center to avoid spending any unneeded time in the 40-something degree evening.  Aside from the throngs of costumed runners.....

the floor of the convention center looked like a runner's refugee camp. 

Seeing how many were remaining in the warmth to the last minute, I decided to brave the cold and head to my corral.  With 40+ corrals, I didn't want to miss my chance at getting to my spot in corral 6.  45 minutes was a bit long to wait in the cold, but time passed quickly and soon we were off. 

The race went to hell pretty quickly for me.  As an LA boy, I haven't had much exposure to cold dry weather this year, and I hadn't prepped my asthmatic prone lungs for the cold.  This being an out of town race, of course I forgot to pack a few of my running essentials, such a benadryl to carry.  I also opted for not wearing my camelbak thinking that water stations would keep me sufficiently hydrated.

Mile 1, the cold dry air hit my lungs like a ton of bricks and I was hit with an asthma attack like I haven't seen in a long time.  I stopped running, pulled to the side and tried to calm my breathing while trying not to cool down too much.  I almost considered popping into one of the dozens of drug stores on the Strip, but I kept moving forward.  After about 10 minutes of start and stop, I was able to finally relax my breathing and resume running.  By mile 5 my body and lungs were finally acclimated and I was able to plow on through the remaining 8 miles.    The finish line couldn't come fast enough as I finally rolled across at 2hrs 20 minutes, my worst half marathon time since 1996!  But I finished, as if not finishing was ever an option. 

There is a ton of negative reaction to this year's race.  Just peruse the Rock N Roll Vegas Facebook page if you'd like to share in that negativity.  My overall reaction to the race was simply that there were too many runners in too small as space to make it an enjoyable experience.  I made sure I was extra early to the run, and I got the hell out of Mandalay Bay as fast as I could after the race ended to try and avoid the crush that apparently hit a few minutes after I finished.  Was it a horrible run?  No.  Would I do it again?  No.  Would I recommend it?  Probably not.  I have run so many small and medium sized half marathons that are well organized and provide valuable benefit to local charities, that I would rather focus on these runs instead of running an event that clearly is focused on sheer numbers of participants. 

2 days later, my lungs are starting to return to normal. I have a few days to decide if I will run this year's Christmas run.  Another of my friends is making this year's Christmas 5k her first run!  How exciting.  She couldn't have picked a better run for her first - local, well organized, and full of spirit. 

My race calendar is now empty.  I will let it stay empty for a week or two before I consider what lies ahead in 2012.  More running?  Oh definitely!  As one t-shirt at the expo summed it up: "I run so I don't murder people."  :)

Note:  Forgive my lack of course pictures, but the nighttime setting with the casino lights just lent itself to crappy pictures.  That with the throngs of runners made it hard to pull of for a quick shot, so I gave up shortly after the start line.