Ready for 100!

My love of the unknown is what led me to run longer distances. I had the burning desire to answer the question “Can I physically do this?” This year makes 10 years of running ultras for me. Turning thirty has sparked my desire to run a 100 again. In less than two weeks I will be attempting Luis Escobar's Born to Run 100 in Santa Barbara. The last 100 I attempted to run, 7 years ago I tried to run hard. I knew I could complete the distance so the question "How hard can I do this?" was my motivation. I found out that it wasn't very fun to run 100 miles hard and I lost interest(gave up) at mile 91. In those 7 years I have grown and learned a great deal. Over the past 7 years, health has been the goal. Running every day for no other reason than to feel good and be healthy has been my motive. I think i'm ready for the mile 70 freight train that will be coming at me head on.





I turned 30 on April 6th and wanted to go for a big run to mark crossing the threshold. The burliest run I could think of was from sea to summit. I started at the hazy salty edge of Hilo Bay and ran up up up 14,700ft. to the snow covered summit of Mauna Kea. The run was about 42 miles in length. I was lucky enough to be supported by Amy and Lila along the way. They met up with me several times along the way offering water, food, and plenty of laughs. Amy's love and support makes me feel like the luckiest man alive! I took my time, stopping a few times for extended picnic breaks. I felt pretty amazing all day, I think I have finally figured out the whole nutrition thing. It's only taken 10 years to stop being purposely stubborn.







I have also learned how to be balanced. I'm not limping around from running too many miles. It feels good to have balanced: work, family time and adventuring. I feel so lucky to have Volcanoes National Park in my backyard. At 4,000ft. the empty fern lined trails are dreamlike. The only thing missing in Volcano is a brewpub and a cozy coffee shop. I'm looking forward to the ups and downs of running 100 miles. That type of deep introspection creates a real sense of wonder and a lust for life. I think of it as a rite of passage, a lifetime in a single day.

"The fool knows what is about to happen and knows his ignorance results from that knowledge."






"Every year during the month of March a family of ragged gypsies would set up their tents near the village, and with a great uproar of pipes and kettledrums they would display new inventions. First they brought the magnet. A heavy gypsy with an untamed beard and sparrow hands, who introduced himself as Melquíades, put on a bold public demonstration of what he himself called the eighth wonder of the learned alchemists of Macedonia...." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

DIY- Outdoor Shower

I love the experience of showering outside. Feeling the cool breeze, the perspective from within the ferns or looking up at the stars are a few of the joys. There is no better way to feel refreshed after a rainy/muddy run or a trip to the beach! My parents recently came to visit and my Dad helped us build an outdoor shower. It took us about three days to complete. The base is 4x4 and we used a propane tankless hot water heater.

Pu’u Wa’awa’a is a Tropical dry forest and also the name of the ahupua’a. The islands are divided into districts called Moku. Each Moku is further divided into ahupua’a. The Big Island has six Moku with several ahupua’a in each Moku. An ahupua’a is a section of land stretching from the mountains to the sea. Their borders usually follow natural boundaries such as mountain ridges or streams.



In old times, this was a system to help people manage, use, and care for the resources of the land wisely. Each ahupua`a contained the resources the human community needed, from fish and salt, to fertile land for farming taro or sweet potato, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas. Villagers from the coast traded fish for other foods or for wood to build canoes and houses.






Specialized knowledge and resources peculiar to a small area were also shared among ahupua`a. The size of the ahupua`a depended on the resources of the area with poorer agricultural regions split into larger ahupua`a to compensate for the relative lack of natural abundance.



("Poliahu" by Herb Kane)



("Planter" by Herb Kane)



“The ancient ahupua`a, the basic self-sustaining unit, extended elements of Hawaiian spirituality into the natural landscape. A midst a belief system that emphasized the interrelationship of elements and beings, the ahupua`a contained those interrelationships in the activities of daily and seasonal life.”

("Kamehameha at Kamakahonu" by Herb Kane)



Pu’u Wa’awa’a sits in North Kona on the northern flank of Hualalai Volcano and stretches from Kiholo Bay up to 6,500ft.





Pu’u wa’awa’a also refers to a cinder cone that looks over the stoic forest. Running up to the 3,000ft+ summit along with dreadlocked sheep offers expansive views and burning lungs! This ahupua’a provides some of my favorite resources, trails and waves.

Notes from the Classroom

Poetry can be tough to teach to high schoolers. Most all cringe at the mere mention of the dreaded “P” word! I have found out that their aversion is due to over thinking. Most think there is something to “figure out.” Really it is about turning the analytical mind off, inhaling words and exhaling inspiration. Like taking a long drive down a lonely, foggy road. Admittingly the classroom is not the best environment to soak in something as alive and expansive as a great poem. I have been trying to make the learning experience magical. Students are finally understanding there is no wrong way up the mountain and poetry can be a bridge between dream, emotion, and logic. If you feel moved or inspired or a rush of blood to the head, you are right!
A normal boring afternoon can be transformed from diving into words and coming back up with treasures of metaphors and beautiful language. Changing minds on this has been a slow process…. The hook was Tupac….. High School students love his poems. After realizing poetry is not just for dead Englishmen, we were ready to start! Pairing Tupac with Dylan Thomas worked amazingly and I could see the wheels of their minds spinning after reading:

“Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.”

I have found the most simple and least dogmatic way to teach comprehension to be three easy steps:
- 1:What does it say(Paraphrase)
- 2:How does it say it(Devices used)
- 3:What does it mean(How does it relate to me)

By breaking it down in a simple way, students gained confidence and realized how fun playing with words can be!
Next we moved on to one of the most fun arrangement of words to ever be assembled: “Jabberwocky”

If you memorize this:

- It will enhance the quality of your life
- Give you vivid dreams.


'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Really, we are living our own poems with each breath an exclamation!

A Bohemian Love Story from The LANE on Vimeo.

In the Colors

Maui Love

Just a weekend can seem like a month. Maui is full of life!






-Immersed in lavender
-Watched Amy dance Swing
-Laughed the entire time running Haleakala crater
-Swam through the ocean blue
-Lahaina ridge trail is HOT!
-Bloody Marys and Mimosas







It was interesting to experience something I love in a new way. Running in Luna sandals creates a different rhythm. Kind of like a skip compared to a glide! I met up with friends Matt and Alex and we laughed our way up and down the trails:

Luna Oso from Barefoot Alex on Vimeo.

Glide!

Fuel for the fun: Quinoa carrot muffins with figs and goat cheese. I have been experimenting and this has been the winning recipe! Perfect for long runs, hikes, or explorations!



INGREDIENTS:
1 cup white or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
Honey: To preference
Cinnamon: To preference
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs(Can substitute with yogurt)
1 cup grated carrot (1 large carrot)
1/2 cup mashed overripe banana (1 medium banana)
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts: Cashews or almonds work great!
1/4 cup dried figs
Goat cheese(optional)

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla). Pour wet into dry and stir until smooth. Fold in raisins,nuts and figs. Once batter is in the muffin pan, make balls with the cheese and push halfway down. Cheese should be covered with batter. Bake for about 25 minutes or so!