Saturday Morning Run Up to Danielson Cabin in Boney Mountain State Wilderness

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This morning I decided to test out my new Sketchers trail running shoes with a trail run up to the Danielson Cabin and back.

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I have no affiliation with Sketchers, by the way. Maybe I should, because I'm liking their shoes more and more. These trail shoes feel as comfortable as any shoes I've worn. Every shoe brand is different and everyone has a brand that seems to fit their own feet better than others. I'm finding this to be the case with my Sketchers. They fit snug but not too snug, light, yet supportive. And comfy.

Mind you, I can pretty much run in any shoes. Over the years I've worn ASICS, Saucony, Nike, Mizuno, Brooks and a few others. Since I'm not particularly picky about the shoes I run in, other than they can't feel too heavy, I tend to go with whatever's on sale.

But the price point on the Sketchers I like on a day-to-day basis without having to wait for a sale. Plus, if I can get to the Sketchers store on a buy one, get one at X% off day, that's even better. Also helps that my kids like to wear Sketchers.

But enough about Sketchers, which is just one thing that Meb Keflezighi and I have in common.

What else do I have in common with Boston Marathon winner Meb K? Well we're both UCLA graduates. And we've both run the Boston Marathon. He ran it 37 minutes faster than my time back in the day, enough time to shower and have breakfast. But we both like Sketchers. Except, he gets paid to like his Sketchers. I don't. But that's ok with me. Or maybe it isn't ok with me subconsciously, since I've mentioned it twice now. Hmm.

So my run up to the Danielson Monument this morning was a nice, easy one, no falling and hurting myself, which is good, as the scabs from my last fall have not quite healed up yet.

I'm keeping my eyes on the trail more now. Watching where you're stepping on trails is pretty important. It is ok to look around too, but better to do so on flatter sections so you don't trip on a rock or root and bash your body around. Attempting to practice what I'm preaching.

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The sky was pretty clear this morning and it wasn't quite too hot...yet. We are a few days from July and it appears the temps are going up soon. Spring is my favorite time to run, when it's cool out, but not too cool, and the sun's out, but it's not too hot.

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From my house, I made it to the Danielson Monument in 36 minutes at casual pace, stopping my watch a few times to take pictures. I was back at the house 34 minutes later, which, given the downhill, seems slow, but I did sidetrack a couple minutes to see if there was even a little dribble of water in the "Waterfall" off of Danielson Road. No such like. Quite dry back there.

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I've Been Running in Sketchers Before I Knew Meb Keflezighi Ran in Them

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Today I just bought 3 pairs of Sketchers running shoes, including a Go Run 3, a Go Run Ride 3 and a pair geared towards trail running. Yes, 3 pairs in one day, bought with a 20% discount I had. Came out of the store with 3 pairs of shoes for about $200, including taxes.

For too long I've been running in 2 pairs of Saucony Kinvaras, also a lightweight trainer, and a Go Run 2. For the 4th time this year, yesterday I was running in the trails, my foot hit a rock, and I slammed into the ground. My right knee is pretty banged up and I've got a dime-sized lump of skin missing from my left palm from the impact, but otherwise I'm ok. But I decided, I need to buy some new shoes to get my spirits up. Not to mention, my current shoes need to be retired.

I like Sketchers running shoes because they're light, yet feel like they are giving me adequate support. They are comfortable. And I like their pricing. $80 isn't cheap but I like the nice, even number. There's something appealing about the simplicity to me.

So getting back to my latest fall. This time it happened within 5 minutes of the start of my run. And I hit the ground so hard that the pain was too much to continue, with skin and blood involved, so I walked back home.

Chatting with another of my geezer running friends, he believes as we get older, we don't lift our feet as high when we run. That could be a factor in my 4 falls this year. The last fall I thought perhaps it could be due to my Sauconys feeling slightly too big for my feet. Today's fall was in my Sketchers, which fit perfectly fine.

Deep down inside, what I really believe to be the issue is...not enough sleep. Running at 6:45am off of 5 1/2 hours sleep is not conducive to good training. Yet that's what I've been doing. I enjoy too many things, one of which is maintaining this website until the wee hours of the night. And of course my running, taking the kids out, etc. Something's gotta give.

But yes, here I am, typing this at 12:15am, when the creative juices flow the most for me.

In lieu of getting to bed earlier, my plan is to find time to take one solid nap each weekend to rejuvenate my body. If that doesn't happen, which it probably won't, I'll be pondering a plan B.

Results From the 21st Annual Senior Concerns "Love Run" in Westlake Village

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The 21st Annual Love Run to support Senior Concerns' Meals on Wheels Program took place this past Sunday, June 8th, 2014. Meals on Wheels delivers two nutritious, freshly-prepared meals to homebound, hidden elderly in the Conejo Valley community 364 days a year. Funds raised from the Love Run enable Senior Concerns to provide Meals On Wheels scholarships to those who cannot afford the program and ensures that nobody is ever turned away. Learn more about Senior Concerns at www.seniorconcerns.org.

I've run the Love Run from time to time in the past and it is a well organized event. There is a 5K, 10K and a 1 mile fun run.

This past weekend's event had 754 participants in the 5K and 440 in the 10K. Some results:

Top 10 Males in 5K:

  1. Sean Gildea  Thousand Oaks 22 15:35
  2. Mikey Giguere Westlake Village 17 15:50
  3. Cole Anderson Simi Valley 17 16:34
  4. Timothy Wells   14 17:32
  5. Phillip Wright     58 18:45
  6. Andrew Harris   Thousand Oaks 33 19:00
  7. James Locher     Ventura 45 19:13
  8. Thomas Morley Westlake village 15 19:16
  9. Rudy Gonzales Thousand Oaks 56 19:21
  10. Steve Arce  Placentia 19:49

Top 10 Females in 5K:

  1. Christy Jesson   Simi Valley  18  20:40
  2. Bobbi Marie Ellias Newbury Park  17   20:44
  3. Nina Greenberg   Oak Park  51   21:37
  4. Ashley Alderman  Westlake Village  30  21:42
  5. Barbara Ellias Newbury Park 52  21:46
  6. Jody Vermeulen   Simi Valley 38  21:47
  7. Stacy Mackintosh  Westlake Village 41 22:08
  8. Alison Krane  Thousand Oaks 35  22:29
  9. Rochelle Moncourtois    Moorpark 29  22:51
  10. Sophia Tross Westlake Village  11  23:37

Top 10 Males in 10K:

  1. Jerome Vermeulen Simi Valley 47 33:49 (Impressive time for a 47 year old...let alone any age!)
  2. Scott Hambly Thousand Oaks 37 33:52
  3. Clayton Graham Calabasas  24 35:20
  4. Emman Labao  Sylmar 48  37:27
  5. Jorge Rangel  Simi Valley 28  37:38
  6. Jorge Rebolledo  Simi Valley  20 37:49
  7. Teerth Patel  19 39:55
  8. Scott Smith  Thousand Oaks  37 40:07
  9. Chris Just 36 40:49
  10. Nicholas Johanson Westlake Village 34  40:56

Top 10 Females in 10K:

  1. Becky Ahern El Segundo 27 35:53
  2. Jenny Mallen Newbury Park 23 37:46
  3. Katrina Frame Newbury Park 31 42:19
  4. Carolyn Smuts Huntington Beach 40 42:43
  5. Madison Weinstock Thousand Oaks 17 43:17
  6. Kimberly Vipond Westlake Village 34 43:50
  7. Evelyn Gonzales Westlake Village 42 43:55
  8. Jennie Labao Sylmar 40 44:32
  9. Casey Hambly    Thousand Oaks 33 44:58
  10. Laura Serrano Simi Valley 25 45:01

The oldest 10K finisher was 86 year old Francis Petracek of Woodland Hills, who completed the 10K in 1 hour, 23 minutes! Wow!

The oldest 5K finisher was 85 year old Jean Gosse of Thousand Oaks, who completed the 3.1 mile course in 41:26, 518th place overall out of 754 finishers. Way to go!

I was shocked to see there were five male finishers in the 75 to 99 age group in the Love Run 5K! Quite an impressive group of youngsters out there!

Gene Burke of Westlake Village, 77 years old, finished in 29:15, 199th place overall! Woah!!

Rod LeGate of Westlake Village, age 80, finished in 35:56!

Irv Cherno of West Hills, age 79, ran a 48:27.

86 year old Richard Ruwe of Thousand Oaks finished in 50:05!

And 78 year old Gil Good of Thousand Oaks ran a 50:14.

I. Am. Quite. Impressed!