Sully-Miller Flying Pig Marathon Runners: December 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

How to Run Safely

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The two key areas of safety that runners and joggers need to be aware of are injury and victimization. Injuries can stem from tripping on a crack in the sidewalk while jogging to being hit by a car. Very serious injuries can come from very small things, like misstepping. The second, victimization, is much less likely, but extremely dangerous. Let's see how a few easy steps can keep us clear of both of these.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Not Long at All

Here's How:
Think first. Before you go jogging consider these questions: Are your shoes tied? Are you running against traffic or off the street? Are you paying attention to your surroundings? Paying attention to your surroundings may be the most important of all of these tips. It can save you from becoming a victim and from missing that step off the curb. These are all very important things that are just common sense. Keep them in mind while jogging and you'll be well on your way to safety.
Think twice about jogging alone at night. Are you in a safe neighborhood? Are you using a flashlight or headlamp? Are you wearing reflective clothes? Again, these simple concepts can keep you from becoming roadkill or from having your face on a milk carton. It may feel funny running with a flashlight or a headlamp for awhile, but you get used to it and it will cut down on a lot of injuries, as will wearing some reflective clothing, and, no, the strips on your shoes aren't enough.
Don't look like a victim. There are a lot of things you can do to keep from looking good to predators. Changing your route frequently with no discernable pattern, staying out of sketchy neighborhoods, running in groups, paying attention to the news are good tips. Other things like not wearing headphones, looking around you so it's obvious you are paying attention to your surroundings, and standing up straight (looking strong) are also good ways to minimize your chances of meeting harm.
Think like a driver. Remember not all drivers are paying attention; they could be eating, drunk, changing their cd, reading a newspaper (you think I'm kidding?), or talking on a cell. Others may just be sadists and think it's funny to swerve at you. Stay out of the streets if possible. If not, make yourself visible to drivers. Make eye contact with drivers at street crossings before you cross even if you have right-of-way.

Tips:
Shoes tied. Properly dressed.
Never assume you won't get hit while jogging just because you have right-of-way.
Never assume a driver can see you until you've made eye contact. (If they look at you very defiantly, think twice about going into the intersection.)
Let everyone know you are paying attention to your surroundings.
Look where you are going.

What You Need:
A brain
A little knowledge (mostly provided by this article)
Common sense
Running shoes (tied)

Hydration 101

What Every Runner Should Know About Hydration
Surely we all know that hydration is important to our health and performance. Most of us have been drilled to believe that 8 glasses of water a day is the way. Many of us even know that the human body is made up of about 66 percent water. That's two-thirds of our mass that depends on us being properly hydrated.

Some other facts about our body's need for water include:
Our bones are 22 percent water.
Our muscles are 75 percent water.
Our blood is 83 percent water.
Our lungs are 93 percent water.
Our brains are 95 percent water.

No wonder we get dizzy, listless, and unfocused as we get dehydrated. Our brain is almost entirely made of water. So, when it starts getting low on water, it can't function at full potential. Other signs of dehydration include:
dry, itchy skin
headaches
thirst
fatigue
crankiness
becoming stressed easily
unclear thinking
flushed face
cramping
weakness
sleepinees
dry mouth
bloating
constipation

Water is also the force behind temperature control for our bodies.
We sweat to help regulate our body temperature. If we can't sweat (for lack of water), our body temperature spirals up and we quickly find ourselves at risk for heat injuries, like heat cramps, heat stroke, and exhaustion. (Heat stroke is, by the way, deadly. These are not just run-of-the-mill, I'll-feel-better-in-a-day-or-two type problems. These injuries are serious, and should not be taken lightly.)

So, how do we know how much to drink to maintain proper hydration? Thankfully, under normal living conditions, we simply need to drink when we are thirsty. That is what our thirst mechanism is for, after all. However, I know from personal experience that many of us don’t take the time to drink when we are thirsty. Whether you are too busy in your office to get up and get a drink or just don’t have a way to get water when you are out and about, if you don’t carry water with you regularly, you may learn to ignore your thirst mechanism. Or, perhaps you are just very goal-oriented (as we runners tend to be) and would like to have a number to shoot for. In these cases, it can be helpful to have an idea of how much water you should be consuming in a day.

Common knowledge suggests that the least amount of water that most healthy adults should consume (to maintain hydration) everyday is 8 to 10 cups (8 oz). But the Institute of Medicine advises women to drink about 74 oz (9 cups) and men to drink about 101 oz (13 cups). You should remember that this is just a guideline. The Institute of Medicine also mentions (as I have also stated above) that “the vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration needs by letting thirst be their guide.”
Hydration is that simple. So, as Nike would say, just do it!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Welcome

Hi everyone, and welcome to The Flying Pig Marathon blogspot. We created this blog to give everyone the chance to post their comments, questions, pics or any information that they feel will help those that are currently training for the May 2008 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. Check back once in a while for updated training information, new running club and anything relating to the marathon itself. Good luck with your training and remember, listen to what your body, and have fun out there.

Where to buy training shoes and gears

Snail's Pace Stores
1. Fountain Valley
8780 Warner AvMon-Fri: 10-7; Sat: 10-6; Sun: 12-5(714) 842-2337[South side of Warner, between Magnolia & Newland]

2. Laguna Hills
24741 Alicia PkwyMon-Fri: 10-7; Sat: 10-6; Sun: 12-5(949) 707-1460[Honali Plaza, behind Car Wash]

3. Brea
1040 E Imperial HwyMon-Fri: 10-7; Sat: 10-6; Sun: 12-5(714) 529-6313[SW corner Imperial & Randolph, across from Brea Mall]

4. Pasadena
340 E Colorado BlMonday-Saturday: 10-9; Sunday: 11-7(626) 568-9886[On the Paseo, in the new Paseo Colorado]

Runners High - Stearns Store - Mary Farrell, Manager 6416 E. Stearns Street
Long Beach CA 90815
562-430-7833
Closed Sunday
Mon -Thurs 10am - 7:30pm
Fri - Sat 10am - 6pm

Runners High - Belmont Shore Store - Thom Lacie, Manager
5338 E. 2nd Street
Long Beach CA 90803
562-433-7825
Sun - Mon 10am - 6pm
Tue - Wed -Thurs 10am - 8pm
Fri - Sat 10am - 6pm

The Running Center
RedlandsLook for us in the Mervyn's shopping center off Alabama St. in Redlands.(only 1 1/4 mile from our old location)1430 Industrial Park AveRedlands, CA 92374Ph: (909) 335-2226Fax: (909) 335-8456

Carlsbad 2584-B El Camino RealCarlsbad, CA 92008Ph: (760) 720-7475
Temecula27548 Ynez Road, #I-3Temecula, CA 92591Phone (951) 587-8450FAX (951) 587-8451

Victorville17260 Bear Valley Road #C102Victorville, CA 92395Phone (760) 245-8900 Fax: (760) 245-2184

Trail: The Fullerton Loop

The usual starting and finishing point for the Fullerton Loop is the corner of Harbor Blvd. and Berkeley Ave. It has easy freeway access from the Harbor Blvd. interchange with Interstate 5, and parking is available at the municipal lot on nearby Valley View Dr.

The loop begins on Berkeley Ave., just a short distance west of Harbor Blvd. Berkeley Ave. turns north and the path is on the west side. This is the south end of the Juanita Cooke Trail. The path is not signed, but it is fairly obvious.

Most of the Juanita Cooke Trail is fairly flat because it was built on an old railroad right of way. Follow it north across Valley View Dr. and N. Richman Ave. and turn left into the signed Hiltscher Trail. There are some benches at this trail junction, so it would make a good rest stop.

The Hiltscher Trail runs almost entirely downhill through an undeveloped area along a creek. After the trail crosses Richman Knoll, it enters Hiltscher Park. In this area there are actually two trails. The main trail runs along the north side of the creek, and a narrower trail runs along the south side.
Where the trail crosses Euclid Street, there are a few parking spaces on the east side. This street crossing is one of the most difficult, because Euclid St. carries a lot of traffic and there is no traffic light or other traffic control device. A culvert under Euclid St. is much too small to be passible.
West of Euclid St. the trail splits. Take the right branch, which goes steeply uphill. (The left branch follows a drainage ditch and emerges on Arroyo Dr.)

At the top of the hill, there is another small parking area, and the trail emerges on W. Fern Dr. approximately opposite W. Valley View Dr.

Follow W. Valley View Dr. west all the way to its end. Turn right on Bastanchury Rd. and then left on Warburton Way. Bastanchury Rd. is a very busy street, but there is a traffic light with a left turn pocket at the intersection.
Just before a railroad grade crossing, turn right and ride north next to the railroad tracks to the next grade crossing at Parks Rd.

The Fullerton Loop runs next to a railroad between Warburton Way and Parks Rd.
Turn left, cross the tracks and enter the Parks Trail, which runs next to Parks Rd. on the right (northeast) side.
Follow the Parks trail north through Edward White Park, then past a school and through Roger B. Chaffee Park. to Rosecrans Ave.
Cross Rosecrans Ave. with care. It carries a lot of traffic, and there is no traffic light or other traffic control device.
Enter Virgil "Gus" Grissom Park and follow a narrow asphalt path, which runs next to a drainage ditch.

The Parks Trail through Virgil "Gus" Grissom Park is paved and next to a drainage ditch.
The path emerges on Camino Rey. On the other side of the street, and a short distance to the right (east), an unpaved path runs north and soon turns west. It is not clear whether this is part of the Parks Trail, but it is surely part of the Fullerton Loop.
The trail crosses Parks Rd. and enters the West Coyote Hills Tree Park, which is signed simply as "Tree Park".
There are two trails through the park. To the left (south) is the higher trail, which is closed to bicycles because it contains a very steep hill.
Bicyclists must follow the lower trail. When it leaves the park, it runs right next to Coyote Hills Dr. For a short distance you will have to ride on the sidewalk because there is no unpaved trail.
The trail soon veers left away from Coyote Hills Dr. It then approaches Rosecrans Ave. and turns right to run parallel to Rosecrans Ave. and north of it. This part is signed as the Rosecrans Trail, and it consists of both a paved sidewalk and an unpaved path. (There is a second sidewalk right next to the street.)

The Rosecrans Trail has paved and unpaved parts.
Where the Rosecrans Trail comes to an end, the signed Castlewood Trail begins. It runs north and east around a residential area, coming quite close to the streets in some places.

The Castlewood Trail begins where the Rosecrans Trail ends next to Rosecrans Ave.
At one point, a side trail veers right (south) and descends to N. Gilbert St.
The main trail continues and reaches N. Gilbert St. near Chantilly Lane.
N. Gilbert St. is a busy street, but there is a traffic light with a pedestrian signal that bicyclists can use to cross safely and easily.
The trail continues west along the north side of Castlewood Dr.
Where Castlewood Dr. meets Parks Rd., turn left (north) into the signed Nora Kuttner Recreational Trail.

The Nora Kuttner Recreational Trail begins at the corner of Parks Rd. and Castlewood Dr.
The Noral Kuttner Trail runs east as far as Euclid St. There are good views of the Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve just to the north. The trail emerges on Euclid St. roughly a block south of Laguna Rd.

The Bud Turner Trail, which runs north along the east side of Euclid St., is the next leg of the Fullerton Loop. Most bicyclists will prefer to ride north on the west side of Euclid St. to the intersection with Laguna Rd. and use the pedestrian and equestrian signal to cross there.
The Bud Turner Trail enters the Laguna Lake Park on the north side of Laguna Rd. a short distance east of Euclid St. and opposite Yuma Way.
The Bud Turner Trail enters the Laguna Lake Park on Laguna Rd.
The trail splits into two parts. The lower trail is fairly wide and smooth, and runs through an open area next to an equestrian center. The upper trail is narrow and runs through a wooded area. (The trails are too close to be shown separately on the map.)

Where the two parts come together, the trail gets a little vague. It runs up over a small hill and descends into a parking area on the south side of Clarion Dr. just east of Lakeview Dr. (This parking area is actually a good alternative place to begin and end the loop.)
The trail crosses Clarion Dr. and then runs northeast next to Laguna Lake. It appears that the trail runs along the southeast side, although there is also a trail along the northwest side.
The trail then crosses Lakeside Dr. at a marked crosswalk and meets another part of the Juanita Cooke Trail. (There are signs for the Bud Turner and Juanita Cooke Trails near this point, but you are not likely to see them, because they face W. Hermosa Dr.)
Turn right and follow the Juanita Cooke Trail south until it crosses over a railroad (part of the same one you followed earlier). On the south side of the railroad, turn left and descend steeply to the railroad.

An old railroad trestle carries the Juanita Cooke Trail over a railroad spur. The path near the tracks is part of the Fullerton Loop.
Follow the railroad east, passing under N. Harbor Blvd. Be careful, because the path runs quite close to the tracks in some points, and freight trains do run on this railroad.
Turn right onto a side path. (If you come to a grade crossing, you have gone too far.) The path runs next to a paved road for a short distance and then crosses over the road to run next to the Fullerton Golf Course.

The Fullerton Loop runs next to the Fullerton Golf Course.
At the south end of the golf course, the path runs through two large culverts under Bastanchury Rd. On the other side is the Brea Dam Recreational Area.
There are quite a few trails, both formal and informal, through the Brea Dam Recreational Area. If you head generally south, you won't get lost.
After passing under Bastanchury Rd., the trail splits. The easier route is to the right (west). Follow it south until you come to the Brea Dam, and then turn right and ride next to the dam up to the northwest side.
The easier branch of the Fullerton Loop runs up the edge of the Brea Dam.

The more difficult route is to the left (east), and it may be closed if access to the dam is ever shut off. The trail leads directly to a four-way intersection of trails. Do not turn left, because this is a side trail that leads away from the dam. Go straight ahead.
When you approach the dam, you will notice two gravel roads leading uphill and to the left. Take the second road (although the first probably goes the same place) up to a large clearing. Turn right and follow the road up to the dam. There is a pipe gate across the road, but it is unsigned and easy to pass through or over.
Then cross the dam to its northwest end. There is another gate at the end, but you can get around it by lifting your bike over a low wall.
Either of these routes will take you to the parking lot for the Fullerton Tennis Center.
Go west along E. Valencia Mesa Dr. to Harbor Blvd.
Turn left and ride south on Harbor Blvd. back to the starting point. If you prefer to do a little more offroad riding, you can go straight ahead return to the Juanita Cooke Trail where it passes under E. Valencia Mesa Dr. Then you can follow the Juanita Cooke Trail south to the starting point.