Today was a beautiful, sunny day. It was about 67 and sunny. Just about perfect running weather. Today's 6 miler make it 100 miles for the month of June and my 29th month in a row with 100 miles.
I ran into the woods today. I've been quite cautious about doing that this year with all of the bear problems the past couple of years. I didn't go to far into the woods, but was quite cautious.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
6.10.09 - Brann, look out!!!
Wow, what an experience I had on Wednesday, 6/10/09. Never been quite so scared in 10 years of running in Alaska. Mind you, this is just two days after my post about not forgetting where I run (in Alaska!). Same moose standing next to the trail. I stop about 20 yards away. He stands up on the trail (length ways), probably to make himself look bigger or something. I wait a little bit and then he walks off the trail. As I watched him I then see another moose that is closer to me. He's just staring at me. Both are yearling bulls. Their mother probably just "kicked" them out to give birth to a calf. I stood around waiting to see what they were going to do. One kept his eye on me and the other just slowly walked along eating. As soon as I thought it was safe I gingerly began running again. Well, about that time the one that was staring at me decided to chase me. Luckily he was behind a fallen tree. As he was side stepping the fallen trees I began high stepping like Barry Sanders or Walter Payton. I was freakin' moving!!!! Then the other moose, that I was now approaching in a race for my life, decides he should chase me too! So now I've got two moose hot on my trail. I'm just running as fast as I can. I quickly peered over my shoulder a couple of times to see how soon I was going to get stomped and most likely die on the running trail. By the time the second moose got about 15 feet from me they both just stopped. Yeah!!!!!!!! A homeless guy on his bike came riding up and he saw pretty much the whole thing. We talked for a few minutes and then I took off. He was standing with his bike patiently waiting for the moose to move off the trail.
A few minutes later a bike rider came up behind me. I asked him if he had any moose problems and he said, "no, but I heard all about yours!". Word travels fast on the trails!
I saw the homeless guy later on down the trail after I turned around to head back and he said the moose finally moved off into Ship Creek (it would be considered a river in most other states).
I'm always very cautious around moose, but this encounter will keep me a little more honest from now on.
A few minutes later a bike rider came up behind me. I asked him if he had any moose problems and he said, "no, but I heard all about yours!". Word travels fast on the trails!
I saw the homeless guy later on down the trail after I turned around to head back and he said the moose finally moved off into Ship Creek (it would be considered a river in most other states).
I'm always very cautious around moose, but this encounter will keep me a little more honest from now on.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
6.8.09 Don't forget where you run Brann!
On Monday I was quickly reminded where I run everyday! It's easy to become complacent with my running. I run along the same trails on a daily basis listening to my iPod Shuffle when all of a sudden I happen to look up and see a young bull moose about 35 feet away. He's looking at me and I'm stunned and reminded of just where I am. He's got a river on one side and me on the other, so if he gets startled he's running right for me. Luckily he wasn't scared, he just stood there and stared at me!
When I ran back by about 10 minutes later he was standing on the edge of the running path. I can usually tell when a moose is a little jumpy and he looked fine, but I'm still not going to run 3 feet from a moose. I stopped about 15-20 away and watched him for a few minutes until he decided to mosey a few feet away from the trail. He was coming right at me as he was eating. He didn't seem to care that I was there, but he still looked every once in a while just to keep an eye me, as I was doing with him. Finally I ran by and everything was fine. This happens about 3 or 4 times a year.
It was a good reminder to remember that I run in the wilds of Alaska, even when I'm just yards away from the city. Give moose their space or they'll stomp you in the face (just made that up).
When I ran back by about 10 minutes later he was standing on the edge of the running path. I can usually tell when a moose is a little jumpy and he looked fine, but I'm still not going to run 3 feet from a moose. I stopped about 15-20 away and watched him for a few minutes until he decided to mosey a few feet away from the trail. He was coming right at me as he was eating. He didn't seem to care that I was there, but he still looked every once in a while just to keep an eye me, as I was doing with him. Finally I ran by and everything was fine. This happens about 3 or 4 times a year.
It was a good reminder to remember that I run in the wilds of Alaska, even when I'm just yards away from the city. Give moose their space or they'll stomp you in the face (just made that up).
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Consecutive 100 mile/month streak still alive!!!!!!
The end of May saw my 28th straight month with at least 100 miles. I've been busting my hump every month to reach that goal. Not sure how long I can keep it going. I've always tried to do 100 miles a month. Sometimes it's a couple in a row, then an 85 or 90 mile month. I started this current streak, my longest ever, in February 2007. My previous streak was around 24 months. I think it was in 2001-03. The goal keeps me going even when I don't want to run, like when it's -10, cold, windy, and just plain nasty outside. The steak makes me get out there and do it anyway. I'm 6 miles into June!!!
Running back in Alaska - 6.2.09
I've been in Arizona for the past two weeks, so today was my first day running in Alaska since May 17th. I've been running in sunny AZ where it was in the 70's and 80's in the early morning. A bit warm, but REALLY nice.
I finally solved my shoe problem. Back to my favs, Salomons. The best shoes I've ever run in. They just make my feel feel goooooooood! Ran about 6 miles today. I could definitely tell a big difference in the humidity level here compared to AZ. It was about 10% in Tucson and roughly 55% here in Anchorage. Yuck! It wasn't all that warm (comparatively speaking), around 60 and mostly sunny. I think I got too used to the warm weather in Tucson. I was freezing my ass off today!!! After about a mile or so I warmed up though.
It's strange running through the desert where there aren't any large trees, just cactus and scrub brush. They have trees, but not like up here in AK. You can see everything in Arizona. Before I left for Arizona the leaves hadn't "popped" on the trees or bushes yet. Of course, now everything is blooming and all the trees have all of their leaves. I felt like I couldn't see anything. Felt like I was running through tunnels. Didn't like the feeling at all. I liked being able to see ahead of me and beside me. No worries of anything jumping out at me, like a freakin' bear!!!!!!! I've been running through Alaska for almost 10 years and I've never felt that way. Eight more years and I won't feel that way any more!
The only exciting thing that happened today was that a seagull almost pooped on me. I think he did it on purpose. When he saw me coming he scooted over to the middle of the trail, he was on a medal bar with a light on it that went across the top of the bridge, and let a big one go! Luckily it was breezy and it blew the opposite direction. HA!! Showed him...... :)
I finally solved my shoe problem. Back to my favs, Salomons. The best shoes I've ever run in. They just make my feel feel goooooooood! Ran about 6 miles today. I could definitely tell a big difference in the humidity level here compared to AZ. It was about 10% in Tucson and roughly 55% here in Anchorage. Yuck! It wasn't all that warm (comparatively speaking), around 60 and mostly sunny. I think I got too used to the warm weather in Tucson. I was freezing my ass off today!!! After about a mile or so I warmed up though.
It's strange running through the desert where there aren't any large trees, just cactus and scrub brush. They have trees, but not like up here in AK. You can see everything in Arizona. Before I left for Arizona the leaves hadn't "popped" on the trees or bushes yet. Of course, now everything is blooming and all the trees have all of their leaves. I felt like I couldn't see anything. Felt like I was running through tunnels. Didn't like the feeling at all. I liked being able to see ahead of me and beside me. No worries of anything jumping out at me, like a freakin' bear!!!!!!! I've been running through Alaska for almost 10 years and I've never felt that way. Eight more years and I won't feel that way any more!
The only exciting thing that happened today was that a seagull almost pooped on me. I think he did it on purpose. When he saw me coming he scooted over to the middle of the trail, he was on a medal bar with a light on it that went across the top of the bridge, and let a big one go! Luckily it was breezy and it blew the opposite direction. HA!! Showed him...... :)
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