Ty’s Blog

Parents rolled out from Yokum’s Restaurant and I am on my own.  Drove over to SRMG and met up with Matt DK and Tom. They were on Dinner break from their teaching so I joined them and we drove over to Yokum’s Restaurant.  Then we headed back to the gym and I read some of my High Altitude Leadership book and then chilled with the SRMG crew. At about 10pm Matt and Tom finished with their client in the gym and I followed Matt over to a quiet place to park the car.  Fell asleep there to the downpour of rain.

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I enjoy running. I am definitely not the fastest runner out there or as dedicated as others are to the sport. Some might say that running should not even be considered a sport but a lifestyle. I would agree with these people and so does Pearl Izumi. According to the book “We Are Not Joggers” by Pearl Izumi http://www.wearenotjoggers.com/book.html running is being domesticated and endangered. Many might not believe this, and I would have argued otherwise myself until I read this short book a few years ago on how those “runners” that you see out in the park on those sunny summer days are not runners at all. “We Are Not Joggers” arises the distinctions between jogging and running. I always thought that the difference was that joggers are going slower. Marathon racers move slower then 5K racers and we consider both of these groups of “runners”, runners. So what is the distinction between the two? “The truth is, the line between running and jogging is different for every person. And every person knows just where it is for them. It’s all about feel.” This also may be a hard answer for most and “We Are Not Joggers” addresses this by simply stating, “If you’re not sure whether you are running or jogging, go faster.”
Now that that is out of the way I should tell you why I treat this like a holy document. First off, Pearl Izumi wrote this book and started their “We Are Not Joggers” website to try to spark their running shoe line and grab people’s attention. It was a harsh and straightforward marketing approach. That could be one reason that I like this so much. Someone who is being straightforward about what they say says a great deal to me. Another reason why I like this book is the fact that it brings running back to the roots of the act. True or not but I would agree with Pearl Izumi that running originated as a way to stay alive. The website has wallpapers for your desktop of your computer and for the last few years I have used one of their quotes as my desktop image. It reads, “If you ever want to see who the true runners are, take a peek outside during mother nature’s next hissyfit.” This quote is not in their book word for word, and I do believe they have updated the book in the last few months from its original text, but I love this quote. I can look at it everyday and it will motivate me to run in the craziest weather. I live my life from what comes from this book and website. Now do not think that I am crazy, I have not found any dead bodies yet but if that day comes I will not be surprised. Just like there are activist groups out there trying to save endangered animals this site is trying to save the domesticated act of running.
Running for me connects me to the natural environment. I have not encountered as many wild animals going on a hike as I have running. Encountering other species of animals out in the woods transforms the domesticated human, into the wild untamed side of humans. I hate it when humans count themselves out when talking about animals. I am no biologist but I do believe that I am an animal. I may be a domesticated animal but that still does count as being an animal, right? Today’s society makes me cringe when it views itself outside of the animal realm.
The view of Pearl Izumi’s marketing team is out there, but right up my ally. I hope that others reading this can understand what their message is and adapt it to themselves. Everyone reading this should get a different view from it. Hopefully readers of this book will come to the understanding of where our society is today and how far it has come since the Neolithic era. Sitting behind a computer or in a building for some of us is life, and others it is torture. This is also similar to how runners view running. Runners view it as a way to get back to their roots with nature, as other athletes view running as torture for their sport. So when it is a sunny summer day and you decide to go outside and move those feet of yours, just remember, “Run like an animal.”

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So I heard that there was some big storm which came through.  Yea so I guess there was.  Spent all last night looking at my yard stick which is outside the common area window and then today we built a nice ski/snowboard jump.  Then I pondered the question…

What could be better then skiing on a jump that I helped make?

How about skiing it with BC XC skies.  Or doing a 180 first try with my new twin tips.  OR getting in and relaxing, eating a bagel with peanut butter, and sitting down at the computer.  And then.. the fire alarm goes off and everyone has to exit the building – and no security on campus – and the maintenance who was plowing then asked for me to run to his tractor to get his keys so that he could turn it off while he is on the phone to someone.  Worst part about the whole thing… there was no fire

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Pics from Garrett County and Canaan Valley, WV.  Pics are from Jan 10-11, Jan 22-24 and then Jan 29-31st.

http://whitegrass.com/

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I’m sorry it has taken forever.  Here are some pictures from Seneca Rocks, Coopers Rocks, my packed car (a few days after the picture was taken 2 bikes were added to the back), Deep Creek Lake, Wisp, back to Seneca, and then finishing up with Akron’s climbing wall.

The last few months have been very hectic. After Easter weekend I started with classes 7 days a week.  Monday was Math, Tuesday was Mt. Biking all day, Wednesday was Math and then work at the Rental Center in the afternoon, Thursday was Mt. Biking, Friday/Saturday/Sunday was Climbing

After finals week the dorms closed. This did not mean that I was going home to relax and start the summer.  I stayed out in Garrett County for another week, then down to Seneca Rocks for 4 days, then went to Ohio for 3 days, back to Garrett County for a night, and then I drove home.

Why did I stay?  Well I had a 3 things on my calendar.  I had one exam the following Monday and Tuesday. (5/11-12/09)  This exam was the Maryland Top Rope Site Manager Certification Exam consisting of a written test, skills test, and a day of managing a group. (I passed every part of the exam.) The Venture Crew planned to be out at Seneca Rocks to do the via ferrata at Nelson Rocks on the weekend of the 15th-17th. (Pictures of this can be found here) Since that is only about 1.5 hrs from school I decided to stay around rather than driving home and then back out there.  I went down to Seneca Rocks Thursday the 14th.  Nelson Rocks was a lot less scary the second time. (Plus, I had the experience of Seneca in between my first time to Nelson and my second)

After relaxing with the crew over the weekend the original plan was to drive home with the family and Crew.  This changed when Andy offered the AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor course and exam. I decided that it was a good certification to have because it would help me gain knowledge to teach the Climbing Merit Badge for the Scouts.  The American Mountain Guide Association’s Climbing Wall Instructor course and exam was held at The University of Akron. (5/18-20/09)  Andy met me at ASI Monday morning the 18th and we drove up to Akron. There we met Giana who was also taking the class with Andy and I.  It was odd having Andy in the class with me instead of teaching the class.  (Even though he still knew more and everything was more natural for him)  Wednesday evening the class ended and I found out that I passed, which was really good because there were times during the class which were challenging.  That night Andy and I drove back to Maryland.  I stayed the night and then drove home Thursday.

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Cold Weather Outdoor Living Skills was this last weekend.  Here are some pics which should explain some of the trip.  We hiked up from Timberline to the Dolly Sods.

Andy and I stayed in the quinzhee (Athapaskan word for a snow shelter).

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Ever since I bought my 07 Trek Top Fuel 8 the rear derailleur has been a problem.  It came with a Sram x-0.  On the second month of riding a stick got caught up into the cage and twisted up into the spokes and rotor.  To replace this I ordered a parts package and rebuilt the derailleur.  A while went by and next thing I knew as I was pedaling along the chain got jammed up.  The derailleur was up twisted up again.  To replace this I warranted the derailleur and received the new carbon x-0.  This past November the derailleur broke again.  Instead of spending for the x-0, I decided to downgrade to the x-9.  I also switched to a medium cage instead of a long cage.  Each time that the derailleur breaks on me I also have to replace the chain, hanger, shifter cable, and a piece of housing.  Here are some pics of the wreckage.

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On Monday I went for a run with Joe around 3:30pm on the Herrington Manor to Swallow Falls trail (~10.6mi).  The roads were fine when I got there and the majority of the trail had a good few inches of snow.  When I got back to my car an hour and half later the roads were covered with a good layer of snow.  After the struggle up the first hill, I was able to make it the rest of they way back.

Tuesday brought more snow.  After English and before Intro to Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Adventuresports, I went for my regular run with Joe.  Continue Reading »

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From Monday night to Wednesday it snowed here (10/27-29/08).  Again, this is the most snow fall I have seen in October, let alone in Maryland.  In the afternoon on Thursday most of the snow had melted.

Pictures start on Monday night.  The snow stuck to the road on Tuesday night into Wednesday.  The measurements were taken Thursday around noon, and then the last 3 pictures were taken after class on Thursday right before I left for home (not much snow left at that time).

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