UTMB Aftermath

(photo from Salomon Running)

Things got pretty interesting in Europe over the weekend.

Where to we go from here?

UTMB

It's been on over at Inside Trail.

Get your arse over there!

2011 Pikes Peak/Leadville and Commentary

Over at Inside Trail.

On a more personal front, two days in a row of steep trail. The foot feels good.
I'm looking forward to this, getting back on my feet and writing more about "the beat."

Fwiw, I've been enjoying a lot of killer Belgian beers. Great summer refreshments!

2011 Pikes Peak Weekend

More coverage over at Inside Trail.

Leadville Trail 100 - Preview

Get your comments into the discussion over at Inside Trail.

2011 Sierre-Zinal Results and Commentary

Check-out our coverage at Inside Trail.

Sierre-Zinal

Good morning and TGIF!
Please read the new article about Sierre-Zinal at Inside Trail.

I hope you're eating and drinking well. Either strong coffee, beer, or salads!

Inside Trail is Online

Trail and mountain running have been around for years, flourishing across the globe in so much uniqueness and tradition, in so many different climates and elevations, distances and purpose, among so many different people . At Inside Trail the plan is to curate the mountain/trail exhibition in a very committed way that speaks to the passion we both have for the sport and its humanity. First and foremost, this passion insists that the rest of the crazed dirty rockers out there share in this passion. This sport deserves a lot more exposure (news coverage, insight, etc.) and we know you all have a lot to say.

We will provide as much exposure to this world of trail and mountain running as possible, via athlete interviews, race previews and reports, commentary, gear reviews, and so on. What else will we include at Inside Trail? You tell us. For this to be truly cutting-edge (which is clearly the goal) and innovative, we need feedback from any and all readers out there. Starting now. Speak your mind. If you think you might ruffle our feathers, come across as a bit too out-spoken, then you need to get to know us. Keep visiting and reading. We have a lot to say, and sometimes we might say too much (oops!).

Either way, we take this sport and the lifestyle VERY seriously. We hope you enjoy.

Of course, this (www.matt-feet.blogspot.com) will remain my personal blog, which I will continue to use for more personal stuff. I will always direct people (the 1 or 2 readers I get) to Inside Trail for "the news," the work we're doing to provide readers with all things trail and mountain and ultra running.

We have posted a great and rare interview with French mountain/ultra runner Julien Chorier. Check-out his account of the madness at HR100 where he pulled-off a truly impressive win in historically brutal conditions.

Stay-tuned for tomorrow's Sierre-Zinal post. This European mountain running classic goes off August 14 (this weekend). That post will be followed by an interview with Nick Clark, whose trail and mountain podium grit is becoming the gold of our own market exchange. He's in-route to Europe as we speak to run SZ and then the UTMB. You don't want to miss that.

Next week we will have previews of Pikes Peak, Leadville and UTMB, but given the trail obsession running amok over here, we will almost certainly be digging-up other dirty goods to share. Please keep in mind that these posts are not the results of one's cutting and pasting from various race websites. It involves a bit more than that.

Inside Trail. Read. On.

Our Feat

I'm hanging-out with the kid a lot these days. I work at night, wife does the day shift, so the two boys get some errands done and hit the beach or pool. We live in a complex that has a ridiculous pool scene. Big lap pool (which I've been using), kid pool, and jacuzzi. NO RUNNING still. I have another week and a half or so before I will step foot on the trail. This sprain is ugly. Our complex has a little weight room, so I continue to do presses, squats and dead lifts. I'm adding to the routine. I'm enjoying it. I feel boringly solid, not strong, but as if I'm doing something.

Last weekend the wife and I had a date night. She had a certificate for a free massage, so we decided to cash that in while I tapped the joint's reflexology goods. Do you know of this thing: reflexology? The title of this blog is certainly a nice nod to the well-worn running apparatus. But I have a serious foot fetish, as well. I need to learn a lot more about reflexology, so I can tell people more about it, specifically.

I got an unusual approach this time around (I have had enough treatments to say this was not the norm). She is a Chinese gal who instead of using the more conventional approach of targeting the various reflexes we have in our feet that correspond to parts of our bodies, she used the Chinese Meridian. She did not ask for any personal information (am I injured, have allergies, illnesses, etc., that might help inform her treatment). I offered some. I am injured. I have a borderline thyroid issue (hypo) and I like Indian Pale ale.

Let's just say she ignored everything I said, absolutely destroyed my injured foot (meaning she wasn't shy beating-up both feet), and left me belly-up begging for more. The spot that addresses my liver energy (which relates to stress and irritability) and happens to be my "soft spot," the one my mom honed when I was a child and under her tickling tutelage, got torched! Loved it.

The foot is doing better I think. I've been icing. I paddle-boarded for about a half-hour last weekend, ran my kid through some soccer drills (and yes ran lightly), but other than that it's been swimming (no kicking), a little lifting, and sitting on my ass, enjoying the warm weather.

And the reading. I have a lot of research to do. My friend and I are itching to start covering at length much of the world of trail/mountain/ultra/adventure running (there's is a much more succinct way of saying that). He is running Leadville and I'm sure will be assessing that situation shortly. We have a stellar interview coming-up that Tim has brilliantly fetched - stay tuned to his blog. And we will be talking about Pikes and UTMB in the coming weeks, providing some commentary, opinion, etc. Why? Because we love it. And by golly we want to do it well.

So please stick around and share your thoughts. GZ has some great stuff going-on, especially with respect to Pikes. What a great time of year. Guys and gals are fit and throwing themselves into battle. Tim and I simply want to add to the delicious journey that is the trail. Stay-tuned.