CIM 2009 Pictures

Matt Perry finishes CIM Full Marathon

Matt did a great job finishing the full marathon in 4h:30m:49s. It is a great acheivement and an inspiring one.

Great Job Matt!!

CIM Relay A Success Story

Six teams from Run4Zen runners group participated and successfully completed the relay. Kudos to all the participants. Results as below.
PLACE TEAM BIB CHIP TIME
129 RUN4ZEN - 3 8662 4:08:02
135 RUN4ZEN 2 8665 4:11:34
168 RUN4ZEN-TEAM 6 8666 4:23:47
190 RUN4ZEN - 5 8664 4:39:16
208 RUN4ZEN - 4 8663 4:47:24

Pictures coming soon!!

CIM Relay Information

2009 CIM Sports & Fitness Expo/Packet Pick-up & Timing Chip Information

The CIM Sports & Fitness Expo
Come EARLY!Avoid the rush and the congestion created by frantic last-minute Expo-goers and packet-picker-uppers. Be assured of getting your proper t-shirt size. Catch the best selection on Friday afternoon and as soon as the doors open on Saturday morning. You could get all your Christmas shopping done here!
EXPO Location, Dates, Times
The Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J St., across the street from the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel.
Use the 13th St. entrance.
Friday, December 4, 3 pm to 7 pm
Saturday, December 5, 9 am to 5 pm.
EXPO Clinics, including the Kasier Permanente Medical Symposium
Clinics are scheduled for both Friday and Saturday this year, with an superb line-up of speakers.
Bart Yasso (adventure runner extraordinaire, Chief Running Officer of Runner's World, and co-author of My Life on the Run) will be this year's keynote speaker and is scheduled to talk on both Friday and Saturday.
Sacramento Convention Center Hall D
Clinic Schedule

Please check your start location on the CIM site and road closure information. Avoid being late to the start.

Team Captains - Please work out rough timing based on the pace of the runner. Also, collect phone numbers of your team members and keep it handy so that communication is easier.


Link to CIM Relay information.

http://www.runcim.org/data/relay09.html

After CIM Meet

CIM relay is coming up this weekend. The below is the direction to the Matt's home.


Directions to Matt Perry’s home

500 38th St. (corner of McKinley Blvd. – same as “E” Street).
Sacramento

From El Dorado Hills

♣ Take Highway 50 to I-80 interchange
♣ Take I-80 east towards Reno
♣ Go 1/2 mile and take the “H Street” exit (second exit)
♣ Bottom of ramp go straight for 3 blocks - turn right on “E Street”
(“E Street” becomes “McKinley Blvd.)
♣ Go 8 blocks to 38th St., turn right and PARK

My home is immediately on the right – two story brick building
Address: 500 38th St.


From Finish Line – north of Capitol

♣ Take 10th Street (or any another street heading north)
♣ Right on H Street
♣ Left on 21st St.
♣ Right on E Street (“E Street” becomes McKinley Blvd.)
♣ Turn right onto 38th St. and PARK

My home is immediately on the right – two story brick building
Address: 500 38th St.


From Finish Line – south of Capitol

♣ Take 9th Street (or any another street heading south)
♣ Left on Q Street
♣ Left on 30th Street (immediately after going under highway)
♣ Go one block and VEER LEFT, ENTERING FREEWAY
♣ Immediately take the “H Street” exit (first exit)
♣ At bottom of ramp go straight for 3 blocks, turn right on “E Street”
(“E Street” becomes “McKinley Blvd.)
♣ Go 8 blocks to 38th St., turn right and PARK

home is immediately on the right – two story brick building
Address: 500 38th St.

Run the River - Marathon/Half marathon results

Results of Run the River marathon:

Marathon :

Todd Knight
Position for his age group : 19 Total time taken :5:37:04.1

Hearty congratulations to Todd on his marathon finish.

Half Marathon:

Stacey Rice:
Position in her age group : 6 Total time taken : 2:00:41.7

Paul Reed :
Position in his age group : 8 Total time taken : 2:01:59.0

Breean Smith
Position in her age group : 31 Total time taken : 2:11:39.9

Amanda Tien :
Position in her age group : 35 Total time taken : 2:20:06.6

David Chima :
Position in his age group : 14 Total time taken : 2:21:04.9


Dhirendra Magadi :
Position in his age group : 22 Total time taken : 2:21:09.1

Congrats Stacey,Paul, Breean, Dave, Amanda on your half marathon finish.

Team Run 4 Zen applies for Hood 2 Coast 2010

"The MOTHER of All Relays"

Nike Hood To Coast Relay
197 miles
12,000 runners
29th Annual Year
3,500 volunteers
August 27 & 28, 2010
Largest Relay in the World!
Incredible Adventure with Unbeatable Scenery
Fundraise for Charity of Choice: American Cancer Society
From majestic Mt. Hood to beautiful Pacific Ocean in Seaside

More info on this run.

http://www.hoodtocoast.com/

Tahoe Rim Trail Record Broken!

21-year old running phenom, Kilian Jornet, completed the 165-mile loop in 38h:32m as night fell on Tuesday, September 30th.

TRTA staff and volunteers were at the finish line, where Mark Kimbrough presented Kilian with his 165 Mile Club Certificate (#967). See what the Tahoe Daily Tribune had to say! Tahoe Daily Tribune
For a direct link to the Killian's website - visit Killian's Quest

Cool Website To measure distance and elevation of trail

Found this website which one can use to mark and mesure any trail. You can save the trail map and share. The best part is it also provide the elevation gain.

Link to site : http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/

Example: Trail I run near my home My Trail

The Running Group's One Year Anniversay Celebration BBQ!

When: Tuesday, September 22nd 2009
Location: SouthWest - Amdocs Parking lot (Area will be marked)
Time: 11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

You are invited to join the Lunch BBQ hosted in celebration of our One Year of Running together. We started with 8 people on September 22nd, 2008 and today we have 40+ runners. There are some incredible stories to share, so please do your best to attend. If you can send me your RSVP, I want to make sure that I prepare enough “Special Siddiqui Chicken Tikkas ©” for everyone to enjoy.
Here is the plan: The diehard runners(you know who you are!) can do a quick ceremonial 1.75 mile dirt loop at 11:00 and by the time you come back the lunch will be ready!



Name BBQ Item Quantity
Bill McArthur Napkins & Forks
Breean Fruits, Chips & Salsa
Casey Chima 2 Packet Naans 20
Claudia Foley Desert
Dave Chima Large Dinner Plates
Dhiren Coke & Diet Coke 12 each
Diana Winans "Killer" Brownies
John Huegli 2 Packet Naans 20
Julie Taggart Chairs 15
Jus Desert or Fruits
Karen "MEAN" Crunchy Cole Slaw
Kathleen Macaroni Salad
Keola Sprite
Khalid Chicken Tikkas - skinless/boneless 15 - 20 lbs
Larry Plates/Forks/Spoons
Lynnell Water
Margie Large Ice cube bag 1
Melinda Dressing
Michael Rose Tossed Green Salad
Paul Reed Desert
Roy Darrington Small Desert Plates
Shashank Desert or Fruits
Stacey Salad & Buns(8) 8
Todd Charcoal 1 Big Bag
Vijay Veggie Burgers 8


If you are planning to bring in some thing please put in comments and I will add it to the above list.

Todd complete another 20 miler!!

Congratulations Todd! Great job on your second 20-miler Sly Park run. That is remarkable and we are all very proud of your accomplishments…another reason for us to celebrate during our Runner’s Group Lunch – BBQ

-Zen Master

Lynnell completed first 5k

Lynnell who start running with the group very recently had a great accomplishment of completing a 5K last weekend. She completed the run in 40.34 minutes. EDH runners group congratulates her on this accomplishment.

-- Zen Master

Sierra Assault 2009

The 10th Annual Sierra Assault a hike to Round Top Lake near Woods Lake was very successful. Over 22 people (of almost all age groups) participated in the hike. This is a very good scenic and less strenuous hike if you don't make it to summit. 4 people from the group went up for summit. There was some confusion in the end ( look out for detailed post on it soon :-)). Enjoy the pictures.

Another Fooled Into Running By Zen Master

This morning Venkatakrishna Bethapudi – from ITC started his first run with us. He did a great job by doing 1.75 miles with just a couple of stops just incredible. Welcome Venkat!
Also, an important milestone for Teresa Piet who did her first 1.75 run/walk loop. Karen has done a wonderful job in training Teresa and getting her on-board ZRG. Great job!
Just hang in there, be patient, and you will amaze yourselves


-- Zen Master

New Runner Joins ZRG

Please welcome Vijay Kanth Goud S B, to the ZRG Team, today was his first time ever to run the 1.75 mile dirt loop with me. He is extremely excited about running with us. You will see him out there!

-- Zen Master

LET'S CELEBRATE THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF SIERRA ASSAULT SERIES

Event: 10th Anniversary of Sierra Assault
Date: Friday, August 21, 2009
Destination: Woods Lake Campground à To Winnemucca & Round Top Lakes



Difficulty 3 Intermediate
Length 6.3 miles round trip
Starting Elevation 8240 feet
Cumulative Elevation Change +1120 feet
Navigation Trail Map
Time Full day

Classification: Grade 2 (6 to less-than-10 miles) B (1,000 to less-than-2,000 feet elev. gain)

Trailhead: Woods Lake Campground, off Highway 88 (between Kirkwood and Carson Pass)


Directions
From Park & Ride in El Dorado Hills - Town Center (across from the Post Office):
· Take Hwy 50 East towards Placerville, drive another 13.1 miles from Placerville and turn right at Exit 60 – Sly Park Rd.
· Drive 4.4 miles on Sly Park Rd. to Mormon Emigrant Trail/Silver Lake Rd.
· Turn Left at Mormon Emigrant Trail, drive 24.6 miles to the T-junction for CA-88
· Turn Left on CA-88; drive about 14 miles
· Turn right at Woods Lake Campground (Woods Lake Campground turnoff is 3.2 miles east of Caple Lake Dam and 1.7 miles west of Carson Pass)
· Park and follow Trail Head for Round Top/Winnemucca Lake


Requirements: Able to take a vacation day... Not an Company sponsored event.

Our day will start at 8:00 AM, when we leave the park-and-ride in EDH for the trailhead at Woods Lake Campground, about 1 hour – 30 minute drive from EDH. We will be gone most of the day. Expected return time is around 6:30 PM. This hike is not strenuous, but we will take our time and enjoy it! The rewards are simply amazing. We will meet at the usual EDH park and ride location at 7:30AM and we will carpool from the park and ride. Please bring day hiking gear: Poles, gloves, hat, sun screen, insect repellent, energy bars, dry fruits, swim suites & lunch etc.

Congrats to "Iron Person" Larry Standing

Larry S participated and completed the Eppies Great Race 2009 in Iron Person Category. The Iron Person category means that he has to Run (5.82 Mile), Cycle (12.5 Mile) and Paddle (6.35 Mile).

Results :

Time Take: 2hr : 27 Mins : 57 Secs.
198th in Iron Person category
58th in his age division.


This is a great acheivement. Congratulations to Larry !!

Detailed results at following link:

http://www.thegreatrace.org/data/results2009.html

New Runner Joins ZRG

A new runner has joined the ZRG of El Dorado Hills. This morning at 6:00 a.m., Dr. Imran Khan started his first 1.5 mile run/walk with the Zen Master. Welcome to a Great Team of runners! You are going to be in a phenomenal company of runners who bring in a wealth of knowledge and techniques to help you along. In time you will meet each one of us. Just remember Zen Master Rule # - 1: The first run of the week is a Maintenance Run.

- Zen Master

ZenMaster Charming Snakes

The Zenmaster and his friend Ajmal were trying to charm the Big 6 foot long King snake yesterday morning near Silva Valley trail, just before Todd and Dave Shough got there from their 10+ mile track….

Congrats Lynnell

Congratulations! Lynnell for running up the Zag hill for the first time and without stopping…you are now part of the elite runners in our EDH Running Group. Once you have done the Zag hill, the rest of the hills are now within your reach. We are very happy with your rapid progress!

Picture of Lynnel coming up Zag with Khalid.



-Zen Master

Congrats finishers (July 4th Fire Cracker Run)

Congratulations are in order for our EDH Running Group members.
They all participated in the July 4th Fire Cracker Run/Marathon in Folsom:
Karen Weidner – 10 K Run
Michelle Elayer – 10 K Run
Terry Decosse – 5 K Run
Michael Rose – 5 K Run
Mike Hopper – 5 K Run (in 26 minutes)  Outstanding finish time

You have done a great job and we are all so proud of your accomplishments. Karen was under the weather(flu) and she still went out and got it done!
Terry Decosse, Michael Rose & Mike Hopper have been great. They are just so motivated and have inspired each other for this wonderful run.
You are setting some high standards!

- Zen Master

The 1K club challenge

OK, here's the next challenge. Run 1000 miles in the next year! Do you think you could run 1000 miles in a year? If you've been running a while, you can. If you've been running less than a year, you might want to opt for the ever-popular metric version of the 1K club -- run 1000 kilometers in the next year. Here are answers to some FAQs:

Q. Are you crazy or what?
A. Yes, but that's irrelevant. You can and should do this.
1000 miles is 20 miles per week!
20 miles per week could be runs of 4, 4, 4, and 8 miles -- with 3
rest days!

Q. Why should I do this?
A. 1. For your health.
2. Because many people benefit from a long-term goal.
3. Because it helps to work with others on a shared goal.
3. Because it enforces discipline -- you can't skip as many days,
you'll be looking for the
extra mile at lunch rather than a shortcut, you'll choose
to run instead of going out for a Whopper, etc.
4. Because it'll enable you to take your running to a new level.
With a 1000 mile/year base, you can opt
for that marathon, do serious speed training for that
lightning-fast 10K, or complete that first ever ultra run.
5. Because you get some interesting conversations: "You ran 1000
miles?? I only drove 10,000!!".

Q. OK, I'm sold, how does this work?
A. Simple, commit to yourself that you'll run 1K miles (or kilometers)
between July 1 2009 and June 30 2010 (think of it as a physical year,
rather than a fiscal year).
If you want to publicly commit to others, that's good too. It
might help with your level of commitment. The first time I did this, I
didn't tell anybody until I was sure I
would make it. Then I went on to recommit every year for
about 20 years.

Q. How do I keep track?
A. Another excellent question. I suggest a simple "log book". Logging
your mileage is a good idea anyway. It helps keep one honest, correlate
tiredness with effort,
maintains focus, etc. I tend to use a "month-at-a-glance"
calendar as my log book. I just write "6 easy", "3 hilly", etc. then
total for the week and the month.
It's all right there, visible, encourageing, and nagging.

Q. But I don't want to give up my biking/rowing/weight lifting ... to
be exclusively a runner
A. Good point. Zenmaster and I are strong believers in cross-training.
It is your log book, your record keeping, and your commitment. Do what
makes sense.
I've always logged "equivalents". I keep my equivalents
conservative so that there's no question of meeting the spirit of my
commitment to myself. Here
are some suggested equivalents (that I've used in the past):
3 miles of mountain bike riding = 1 mile
4 miles of road bike riding = 1 mile
2 miles of aerobic hiking = 1 mile
1/2 hour of aerobic weight lifting = 1 mile
Thus my daily log entry might look like "3 equiv of 10 mile ride".
And the "3" counts in my 1000 mile goal.
I'll let you come up with conservative equivalents for rowing,
swimming, dancing, etc.
In the past I've not counted other "mandatory" or purely
recreational activities such as gardening, playing tennis, etc.
I've also not counted anything less than 1/2 hour.
I've also not counted hills. But if you are a loyal follower
of the zenmaster, and tend to run a lot of hills, you can
add 1 mile equivalent for every 500 vertical feet.
Remember, this is your goal, your commitment, and ... your log book.
If all of this sounds too easy, you can always go for a "pure" 1K
club by only counting running mileage.

Q. Is this zenmaster-approved?
A. Another good question. Yes! I covered this with him before he left
on vacation and he wholeheartedly agrees.

I haven't run 1K miles for several years .... but I'm "in". Anybody else?

Dave

Plantar Fasciitis (PF)

This is an email article from Dave S which I am publishing now.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Zenmaster asked me to educate the group about Plantar Fasciitis (PF) Evidently we have a few folks suffering from PF now (ironically myself included for the first time in many years). This will be more information than most of you ever want to know about PF. So, if you're not having heel or arch pain, stop reading and discard this note now and I apologize for the spam. If this doesn't reach someone in the group with PF, feel free to forward it to them.

I would guess that Plantar Fasciitis is the second most common injury for new runners -- after shin splints. Shin splints heel pretty quickly and easily, PF does not.

How do you know if you have PF? If you get out of bed in the morning and with the first 2 or 3 steps it feels like someone is poking a hot needle into the middle of your heel -- you definitely have it! If you have other heel or arch pain which is worse when you get out of bed or after sitting for a while, you probably have it. Somebody may have told you that you have a heel spur. That's really the same thing as plantar fasciitis.

What causes it? As usual, lots of things. But primarily it is calf muscles and an achilles tendon that is too tight. This in turn can be caused by "toe running", inadequate stretching, and inadequate arch support. Toe running is easy to cure -- this is just poor running form.
Unless you are sprinting, your heel should strike the ground first and you should gently rock through the length of your foot until you push off from your toes. If your toes or the ball of your foot strikes first, you are putting undo stress on lots of parts -- including your plantar fascia.
Yes, your heel hurts because you're not landing on it -- believe it or not.
So, no matter how steep the hill that Khalid takes you up, make sure you are not running up it on your toes.

Stretching is a little trickier. Many books will show the old fashioned calf stretch which has you leaning against a wall. Usually this only does half of the job. Instead, I like to find a curb or steeply sloped rock. I put my foot on that with the toes as elevated as is comfortable, turn the toes slightly inward and bring the other foot up parallel, but flat, shoulder width apart. Then by shifting my weight back and forth, forward and backward, I can feel the point where I get a good stretch deep within the calf. Play around with this a bit until you find it. If it still doesn't make sense, have me or Dave Clark show you how. Stretch each calf, one at a time, for about 30 seconds and then repeat. This is most important to do after a run when the calf and achilles are warm, full of blood, and most able to be stretched without causing microtears. Caution:
if your Achilles Tendon is already sore ... do not do this stretch until you solve the achilles problem. See me about that separately.

Arch supports are trickier yet. Some people are perfectly happy with nothing or whatever comes in their running shoe. Others do fine with some drug store arch support. Still others need a custom, or near-custom arch support. Many people actually need podiatrist-provided orthotics because their feet are not the same, their legs are different lengths, or a variety of other causes. In any case, good arch support will help prevent a lot of the other related problems.

If you can't seem to shake the PF through these preventative means, you may need mild treatment. The first is more targetted exercises -- in addtion to stretching. Try sitting in a chair with your knees at right angles and directly over the ankles. Rest your foot on a towel. Keeping your foot stationary, bunch up the towel by grabbing it repeatedly with your toes.
Once you learn to do this, you can do it without the towel and with your shoes on while sitting at your desk (if your shoes are loose enough). To avoid that early morning poke in the heel, you can stretch your toes toward your knees before you get out of bed. The pain is worst in the morning because your foot relaxes and your toes point downward (I think it's called dorsaflexion, but it may be the opposite). You can also roll the sole of your foot lengthwise back and forth on a tennis ball or, better yet, a frozen juice can. This massages it to break up calcification and ices it to prevent swelling. Ironically cold alternated with heat also helps. The heat increases the blood flow, while the cold soothes swollen tissues.

If all of this doesn't do any good, the next step I'd recommend is a thing called the Straussberg Sock (sp?). You can google variations on the spelling until you find it. It is just a cotton sock with a band which runs from your toe to a strap around your calf. You wear it at night and it keeps your foot in a better position (dorsaflexed??) to keep the plantar fascia stretched. Many doctors recommend a fancy boot that looks like a ski boot. But I don't think it is any better than the cheapo sock and is much more likely to bruise your partners shins and get you kicked out of bed.

The next step is medical intervention. This is a case for physical therapy. They know how it works, have all the cool toys to work it over, give you better exercises to do, and can actually break stuff like scar tissue up. Don't let a doctor inject your heel with cortisone or anything else. And certainly don't let him convince you that you need a surgery.
Another step, for long range happiness is to see a podiatrist about getting orthotics. It's kind of like of asking a chiropractor if you need his help with your back. The answer will always be "yes". But in this case, if you've alredy diagnosed foot problems that don't go away easily, it might be justified.

The good news is that, for most of you, this will just be minor start up pains. Your body was intended to be running since childhood -- chasing down deer for food, etc.. Unfortunately, you probably haven't been doing that. So, as you start running, your strength (read muscles) builds up more quickly than the supportive soft tissue (fascia, tendons, bursa, etc.).. Over time these other things will catch up and you will be running injury free like the zenmaster (unless of course you are running competitively, in which case you'll still be fighting nagging injuries because you are always pushing the limits). I went through a number of start-up nagging little injuries years ago. At the time, my knees were especially weak and rotten -- even when hiking. Today my knees are in better shape than they were 40 years ago! So, pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you, but keep at it!

I hope this helps,

ultra Dave Doctor Dave

New Runners Acheivements

Terry DeCosta - First time did the zag hill (With Mike Hopper's encouragement and support)
Lynnell Neumaier - Karen took Lynnell out for the first time in the back hills and she ran non-stop
Vikki Brown - Progressing very well on the trails, she ran non-stop to the top of
Latrobe.

Congrats to all of you!!

-Zen Master

New Runner Joins ZRG - Ajmal

“Great Job Ajmal! For those of you who have not met Ajmal, he is Khalid’s friend and has been training since April in EDH. In just 8 runs he did a 10K run. That is an awesome accomplishment! Ajmal, just stay with the Zen principles of running and you will be fit for life….Welcome to the EDH Running Group.”

-Zen Master

Running Injury Free

Very good training video. Very good explaination of different muscles used in running and their correct use.

Congratulations Lynnell

For the first time, Lynnell ran with Karen in the back trails – 2 miles today. Lynnell, you are now part of the EDH Running Group! and we all welcome you. Great Job!

- Zen Master

Up and Down Ridge 3 times ????

Yes !! Khalid and Todd created this record on Friday. They went up and down Ridge 3 times. Any one who has seen the Ridge Hill will definitely know what this means !!

Congrats to Khalid and Todd.

Note from Dave S:

Our humble zenmaster neglected to point out another record set last Friday.
Khalid and Todd ran up the hill to the ridge, enjoyed the effort soooo much that they turned around and did it again! And, get this, they then decided to do it yet again! Three (3) times -- nonstop! Most of us can't run up that hill once without stopping. I think they have raised the bar to new levels. Zenmaster admitted that they were both "numb" by the end of the third climb. It wasn't clear if that numbness was because of the effort or reaching a new zen meditation level. So ... congratulations to Khalid and Todd (and here's hoping for a speedy recovery).

Dave

Dave's top ten little-known or misunderstood running factoids

1.Running on pavement causes 3X the impact as running on trails.
2.New runners muscles build up quicker than their tendons, ligaments, bursa, etc. and thus they are more likely to suffer impact-related injuries (see point 1).
3. Carbo-loading is a complicated 6-day process. It's not a one night spaghetti feast. The latter is really only designed to upset your stomach and keep you awake the night before a big race.
4.If you are thirsty, you are already a quart low. To paraphrase a Chicago voting motto: "Drink early, drink often".
5. All things in moderation - use the 10% rule. Increase your max run by only 10% at a time, your weekly mileage by 10%, your monthly mileage by 10%, etc.
6. Also follow the "every-other" rule. If you're just starting, run every-other day. If you run hard one day, run easy the next. If you run long one day, run short the next. If you have a high-mileage week, take it easy the next Conversely, if you have a terrific day today and feel like you're just floating effortlessly ... well ... it won't feel like that tomorrow :-)
7. Running 500 vertical feet is equivalent to 1 horizontal mile (calories, effort, time, etc.)
8. A 150-pounder will burn about 100 calories per mile no matter how fast he/she runs or walks. So run further, not faster.
9. Studies have shown that people who exercise without dieting do almost as well at long-term weight loss as people who diet and exercise. And both do much better than those who only diet.
10. Studies have shown that people who run 3 times per week are happier, healthier, live longer, suffer fewer diseases (including depression), have more successful relationships, earn more money, are promoted more often, have better sex lives, enjoy better self-esteem, and have later onset of dimentia than sedentary folks. But there is a negative side. Runners do spend more on running shoes and don't keep up with the latest happenings on all the reality shows.

-Dave S

ZRG Celeberates Runners Day

More the 18 runners came out today afternoon for runners day run. It was a great day to run with overcast weather. We ran 5 miles loop ( Valley Run ) which included both paved roads and trail. Enjoy the pictures below !!

By the way we beat the previous record of 17 runner !! :)

How To Run Uphill And Downhill

-Todd K

Congratulations are in order

Matt and Todd completed the official Western States Memorial Day Weekend Training Camp Sunday run this weekend. This involves 20 miles (16 along the actual course) down to, along, and up from the American River. It includes miles 62 - 78 of the course. It also includes a long, sustained, quad-busting downhill (easily the longest either have done). Along the way they got to dowse with water to cool off, see the spot where the runners will cross the American River on race day (night), and hobnob with some of the faster States runners (not because we ran that fast -- because we started an hour early and let them catch us). The run also finished.with a hot, grueling, 4-mile uphilll (also the longest either had ever done -- made worse because Dave msiremembered and only promised them a 2-mile uphill). Matt had never previously gone beyond 13.1 flat miles. Todd matched his previous 20-mile record. Both are ready for more.

Dave

Another new runner joins ZRG

Vikki B joined ZRG yesterday. she did her first run on trails with Khalid. Great job Vikki!! we welcome you to ZRG!!

Tick Warning!!!!

ZRG Folks: Please beware of the ticks. In just two days, Todd & I had tick encounters. Today, I had one lodged in my right thigh area. Since it penetrated the skin, I will have to check with the doctor to prevent any kind of a problem later on.
Here is a link on ticks found in California: http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/rbkimsey/caticks.html

It was the Pacific Coast tick - Dermacentor Occidentalis (Dark brown/reddish). Apparently, it does not cause Lime Desease

Bike to Work Day Breakfast and Ride May 21!

Bike to Work Day Breakfast and Ride May 21!

Join us for a FREE breakfast to fuel cyclists for a ride to Amdocs. Breakfast starts at 6:00 AM at the Sutter Street Light Rail Station Plaza. There will be giveaways and a raffle for a new bike.

We will start riding at 6:30 AM to Amdocs from Sutter Street Light Rail Station. Meet other riders at 7:00 AM at the Raley’s on Blue Ravine (25025 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom) . Join up with the Amdocs Pedal Pool at 8:00 AM at the El Dorado Hills Library (7455 Silva Valley Parkway). Expect to arrive at Amdocs by 8:30.

Contact me if you want to join.

Relay for Life 2009 - Team "Jai Ho "

Team "Jai Ho Gain Victory over Cancer" lead by Guru Nagaraja from DST successfully participated in "Relay for Life" which was organized in Folsom Middle School on May 16 -17. This was a 24 Hr walk/Run relay and team consisited of lot of people from DST/ Amdocs campus. Team raised more that $2100 dollars and had 50 runner/walker in the team. According to Guru our team was 2 largest in number and 9th largest in donations !!


All for a great cause and I want say kudos to Guru and the whole team !!

More information on team jai ho http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?team_id=484581&fr_id=13640&pg=team

Eppie’s Great Race - Triathlon

Eppie’s Great Race is scheduled for Saturday, July 18th. This triathlon event has options for both individual participants as well as teams. You begin by running 5.82 miles, bike 12.5 miles and finish up with a 6.35 mile kayak all within the beautiful American River Parkway. For additional details and registration information access the following link. From now through May 31st the race organizers are offering $60.00 off any team registration fee.

http://www.thegreatrace.org/

- Larry Standing

Trial Cleaning - Beast is out again

The beast is out again. Tomorrow, Khalid and group will be out after work for trail cleaning. Anybody can join us if intrested. There will be Beast (Weed Mower ),weed wackers and grass whips available for use. Hope to see you there.

Fire lane cleaning is scheduled for end of month. Please see comments in my previous post for more details.

Mike has cleaned up some portion of the trail (the area from the Dev Center bridge, through the gate, up the hill , behind the bluffs and up to the little hill (ran out of 2cycle) just prior to hilltop Start\Finish point). Thanks Mike !!

Trail path needs cleaning

Looks like trails need second round of cleaning this year. The weeds have grown once again and there no visibility to spot the snakes. Also, wondering when they will clear the fire lane. The worst stretch is from hill top to soccer field. Hope the clean it soon. The previous trial clean was great fun !! Picture from previous trail cleaning.

Trail Run - Golden Gate - 8 Miles

Hi Folks,

Just putting a 'place holder' on this blog for a Trail Run from beach in Sausalito to Gold Gate Bridge sometime this month or early next month.

More people conquered the Ridge today !!

Breean, Diana, Kathleen & Rian accomplished a major milestone today. They have now been to the top of one of the most difficult hills in the Valley across from Latrobe Road.
David Clark, Stacey, & Todd thank you for the encouragement you have provided all along. Excellent Job everyone.

- Zen Master

How to identify paw prints on trail

This picture below helps you identify paw prints on the trail.

TheRelay

The Relay is a 200 miles run from Calistoga ,CA to Santa Cruz Area. This is called the longest party in california and this year this run was organized on May 2,3. 12 runners including myself from our group did this relay and it was an experience of life time. We registered for this race way back in last quarter of 2008 and trained for it running on the hills in el dorado hills. We successfully completed the run and we are looking forward to do it again next year !! You can read my experience in detail at http://lovefortravel.blogspot.com/.

From therelayblog