Archive for July, 2011
SIEVERT: 150-Mile Run Recap
Jul 31st
Jared Busen, May 6, 2011
In a previous post, I introduced you to Ultra-Runner Jared Busen. Jared completed a 150-mile race this May, and he wrote a wonderful breakdown of the run to share with the readers of the “Get Out” blog. For more race recaps, gear reviews, photos, and videos from Jared, please visit his website: www.runhappens.com.
Sievert
Jared is currently training for the Badgerland 24-Hour Track Ultra-Marathon and hopes to complete 130-plus miles. He is running this race in support of the Wounded Warrior Project and has set a goal of raising $5,000 to support our military heroes. Please consider making a donation — either a one-time amount or by-the-mile — for this honorable cause. Visit http://tinyurl.com/WWPJaredBusen to make a donation or for more information.
Laura Sievert
By Jared Busen:
May 6, 2011, was my 150-mile run. I enjoyed it immensely. I finished first overall, struggled at some points but dealt with it all as it came and kept knocking the miles down. Official time is 50h09m54s.
The trail is a 10-mile loop repeated 15 times with 2,400 feet of elevation change per loop. This means that running 150 miles gets you 36,000 feet of elevation change. The trail is set up for mountain biking and is a mixture of old logging roads, single track, switchbacks, massive ascends and descends and everything else you want a trail to have. Without a doubt, the toughest course I have ever run on.
The 150 mile run included over 36,000 ft of elevation change.
There was an aid station at the 0/10 or Start/Finish as well as one at the 5.5-mile mark where crew could meet up with you. My brother volunteered to come out and crew for this race. He met me each time I hit 5.5 or finished a loop out. We had already discussed nutrition, what I’ll need each time we see each other before the race even started as well as what I’d like next time I see him during the race. He did an amazing job as crew and I had no issues, things went smoothly with him.
Below I’ll try my best to recount what each loop was like as well as give my official split (h:mm).
0-10 2:08
This was the first loop, and it was used to figure the trail out. I learned fast thanks to several steep and long climbs as well as descends that my quads will fall off if I run each of them. I ran some of the hills as well as some of the really technical sections of the trail on this loop, that I never did again. This was my fastest loop and I should have backed off more.
10-20 2:13
Nothing special on this loop. Just backed of a bit, but not enough, and knocked out one more loop.
20-30 2:19
Again, tried to slow the pace down knowing I was going too fast. I had a hard time backing off cause I really was running very easy. Big thing here was that at mile 25.5 (aid station) I took the first position. I didn’t want this that early in the run, but it happened so I took it and hoped the pressure of keeping it didn’t get to me. At the end of this loop, my buddy Darrin caught up to me who I hadn’t seen since last September at the 24-hour track run.
30-40 2:20 Pacer – Darrin
Darrin was there as part of the 100-mile crew. Which means that he was officially in the 100-mile race but not competing. His job was to pace for Ryan Dexter, another friend of mine. Ryan is the type of ultra runner I hope to become someday but probably never will. During the course of the weekend, Darrin had to get a total of 100-miles in so it would count as a finish. He got some in on Thursday, some on Friday and the rest on Saturday. Darrin was kind enough to run a loop with me here.
40-50 2:41 Pacer – Darrin
Darrin decided to hang with me again, he helped me pull around and finish one-third of my race. Fifty miles knocked out in just 11 hours; that was too fast and I ended up paying for this later.
50-60 2:59 Pacer — Darrin
Darin ran with me again on this loop until about mile 56, then he took off to finish the loop out quicker then I was going to. He needed to pace Ryan on his next loop, and Ryan was still knocking out low 2-hour splits so Darrin wanted some rest. This loop was to be my last one finished in daylight on Friday.
60-70 3:30
The plan was during the night — when the running is so much slower because you just can’t see the trail as well — to run two to three easy laps during the night. The intent was to recover and go easy ’til the sun came up then go back at it a little quicker. I had started to hit a wall already so I was happy to have the easy running for a while.
70-80 3:46 Pacer — Justin (brother)
Justin decided to join me for this loop. It was his first time running with a headlamp, seemed like he enjoyed it. Also his first time seeing the course; too bad it was at night, so he didn’t get to see it. I was still up against a wall and was beating my head against it to break through.
80-90 3:50 Pacer — Justin
Justin went out again on this loop. The sun was just coming up so we started with the headlamps but turned them off within a mile or so. The first few miles of this I kept falling asleep while I was running. This was new to me — didn’t want it to be happening, but it was. I was really struggling at this point. But we made it around and still knocked out some miles.
90-100 3:59
Jared Busen crossing a creek on the McNaughton Trail.
I ran solo for this loop. I was still in the lead and had gained a lot by running all night. The other 150ers had gotten in some sleep in the night. I kept racking up miles while they laid there. Now, they were up and they all passed me, were looking great and I was struggling just to walk. I realized that I can’t break through this wall I’ve been fighting with the past 30-plus miles. At mile 95.5, I told Justin to talk to the Race Director and find me a place to sleep for a bit. Miles 98-100, I started to hallucinate. I kept seeing people behind the trees peeking out and staring at me. One guy would peak out, take a picture and duck back behind the tree. Another was a married couple and the husband would peak out one side of the tree, the wife the other. I knew that they weren’t real, but I was out of it enough that I still stopped over and over trying to get a better look at them. I finally made it in and finished 100 miles in about 30 hours.
100-110 5:15 Pacer — Mindy
Got an hour and a half nap here which is why the above split is so long. Justin woke me up and got me going. Ryan’s crew chief knew me and came over with Justin to give me a heart-to-heart on digging down and seeing what you are made of. It’s all stuff I know, but is always good to hear. Justin had set up a pacer for me, Mindy. I already knew her from Ryan’s crew and she had crewed for me in the past back when I first met Ryan and his crew. She ran this lap with me, and I think the run time was in the low 3 hours. The nap helped a ton, and I felt like a new man. I was running strong again.
110-120 3:24 Pacer — Justin
Justin ran this one with me, giving him 30 miles so far where before his longest run was a marathon. This lap went well, and we were both excited there were only 30 miles left in the race. We decided I’d take a 45-minute nap, when we made it back to the start finish, with the hope of knocking out the last 30 in one shot.
120-130 4:24
The nap is included in this so the split is long. After another quick nap, I was running good again and knocking out the miles pretty easy. The sun had gone down at the start of this lap, so it was back to headlamp running.
130-140 3:32 Pacer — Brian
Justin hooked me up with another pacer for this lap. Brian was there as a volunteer and was kind enough to go out with me. We wanted someone to knock out a lap with me, keep the pace up if possible and just get more miles in. At about 137, I hit the wall hard. I had slowed down and was struggling to run. It was so frustrating to be about a half marathon out and start to hurt again. I wanted to fall asleep so bad, I kept fighting it and never did but I wanted to. At mile 139, I had another hallucination. This time, I saw a cowboy leaning against a tree on my side, not peeking out behind. He looked at me, tipped his hat and gave an odd smile. He scared me and I really don’t know why. It was still night so I should not have seen detail but I was able to. Again, I knew it was a hallucination, but I was out of it enough that it felt real.
140-150 3:42 Pacer — Justin
Since I had a hallucination I went down for about a 30-minute nap before going out on the last loop. I was a few hours up on the second place guy so I took advantage of that and slept for a bit. Justin woke me and we started moving. I was really stiff to begin with, and it took a few miles to limber up. A few miles from the finish, I knew I was going to make it and could smell the finish line. I started to run more and more, and run faster and faster. The last two miles was all running, up hill, down hill, whatever I attacked it. Justin kept cheering me on and running with me. I’ve run so many miles in my life that my body doesn’t need to be told what to do. I ignored the previous 148 miles of running and just took off. We had a beautiful all out sprint to the finish. Bringing home first place in a time of 50:09:54.
Luckily Ryan Dexter happened to be at the finish line (after CRUSHING the 200-mile race) and was able to see me finish. I had caught his finish the night before, but since I was still in my race, I had to keep moving and didn’t have a chance to talk. I was able to shoot the breeze with him for a bit before he headed home. Justin and I made it over to a local B&B, had showers, a huge breakfast and a 7-hour nap.
This was a hard race, and it broke me off at one point. However, both Justin and I reacted correctly and dealt with it instead of giving up or wishing for something different. I have already signed up for this race in 2012. I can’t wait to go back. Now that I’ve done it, I know how to train so I can rock a good time next year.
Thanks to Justin for his phenomenal support, I was able to cover the distance. Big props to Ryan Dexter’s crew for throwing us a lot of support as well. The ultra running community is amazing cause everyone takes care of each other.
SIEVERT: Continual Forward Progress
Jul 27th
Jared Busen, pictured here in uniform in Afghanistan. Busen continued training runs while he served there as a Combat Advisor in 2009-2010.
“Ultra” is the right adjective for Jared Busen in more ways than one. This Class of 2000 Quincy High grad has gone on to become something of a real-life superhero. In 2006, Busen joined the Army, went into Basic Training, and discovered that distance running was his passion. Not satisfied with marathons of 26.2 miles, Busen elected to push onward to Ultra-Marathon distances.
Sievert
An Ultra-Marathon takes one of two forms: it can be a specified distance (often 50k, 100k, 50 miles, 100 miles or 150 miles) or the race can last a set length of time, for example, 24 hours, and the runners will cover all of the distance that they possibly can before time expires.
It’s easy to list out Jared’s accomplishments as a runner and be in awe. He’s competed in 13 Ultras since he began. He took first place in the Farmdale 50 mile in October 2010 and first place in 150 mile McNaughton Trail Run in May 2011. He places regularly in every race he enters. He even continued running and training while he was deployed in Afghanistan — famously recording hundreds of laps around the .6-mile perimeter of Camp Alamo just because he needed somewhere to stretch his legs. During Army leave time in South Korea — where you would imagine a soldier might want to rest — Busen instead ran a 100k, came back three weeks later to run in the Seoul Marathon, and then completed a second 100k a week after that.
Ultra Marathons take place on a variety of surfaces, including rugged trails like this one.
Besides conquering herculean running distances though, what sets Busen apart in my mind is the focus he brings to all of his endeavors and the easy and unassuming way he talks about distance I can only imagine in terms of road trips in my car.
“[Ultra marathoning] is a sport anyone can do. I’m not gifted or special, I’m just a regular dude who decided to do something hard,” he explains. “The first step is to accept that you’re capable of accomplishing that kind of challenge.”
I expressed some disbelief at his assertion that anyone could take on that kind of distance — thinking back on how hard my first two 5k races seemed this year — and he continued to explain how someone makes the jump from small distances to larger ones.
“That’s the only difference. It’s about continual forward progress. It’s about not quitting. It’s hard for me too — really hard. You’re going to hit walls and want to stop no matter what distances you’re training for. For running you have to be adaptable and know how to overcome.”
Busen recently launched a website dedicated to his Ultras. In race recaps, you start to understand some of the difficulties the sport entails. The logistics of these races are planned months in advance. Each racer requires a small but dedicated team of people to monitor the race, provide the right hydration, nutrition and equipment as conditions dictate. For example, Busen calculated that he consumed over 10,200 calories during the 150-mile McNaughton race. For comparison, that’s eight days worth of calories for me right now. It’s not surprising that this race takes that much fuel though, or that it takes a team to manage it. The trail is a 10-mile loop repeated 15 times with 2,400 feet of elevation change per loop. The total elevation change is 36,000 feet, the equivalent of the height of Mount Everest and Mount Saint Helens combined.
Busen (right) running on a track. He says that long distances only require a commitment to "continual forward progress."
In addition to his physical accomplishments, Busen is an indefatigable teacher and motivator. In the Army and now the Army Reserves, he is a drill sergeant with the rank staff sergeant E-6. And while he’ll tell you he was the one “all up in everyone’s face, barking orders,” you can see that he was a leader by example. I asked him why such a Zen-guy would want to be a drill sergeant, and he explained that he just wanted to be the best soldier he could be.
“I guess I see a drill sergeant as a model soldier, so aspiring to that forced me to be as focused as I could be. You’re in front of everyone and they’re just waiting for you to screw up — it’s motivation to work even harder and do my best.”
Busen backs his drill sergeant persona down a decibel or two when he helps coach track and cross-country teams at his local high school and junior high.
“It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences, to help kids learn to love running. I hope I inspire them to run their best. They definitely inspire me.”
The “Get Out” blog will feature some of Jared Busen’s own race recaps in upcoming posts. Until then, I’d encourage you to check out his blog at www.runhappens.com or find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/runhappens?ref=ts.
Jared is currently training for the Badgerland 24-Hour Track Ultra-Marathon and hopes to complete 130-plus miles. He is running this race in support of the Wounded Warrior Project and has set a goal of raising $5,000 to support our military heroes. Please consider making a donation — either a one-time amount or by-the-mile — for this honorable cause. Visit http://tinyurl.com/WWPJaredBusen to make a donation or for more information.
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Drink more water and other good advice
Jul 24th
This group of players braved the high temps to play Ultimate Frisbee this Wednesday at South Park.
It’s hot. We know that much for sure. What’s an outdoor enthusiast to do when the temperatures reach the triple digits but the fun of Ultimate Frisbee, cycling or other outdoor activities still calls your name?
Laura Sievert and Kirstin Smith at Ultimate Frisbee. The heat made hydration very important for all players.
Drink more water: Okay, that’s a no brainer. You should obviously increase fluid intake any time you’re participating in athletic activities, but the Centers for Disease Control website points out that it’s going to take more water than you think. During heavy exercise in extreme heat, the CDC recommends two to four 16-ounce glasses of water at a minimum. That means for the three hours that we played Ultimate Frisbee at South Park on Wednesday, we should each have had between three-quarters and 1 ½ gallons (3 to 5 liters) of water. I personally drank 3 liters (.79 gallons), and it was just right to keep me going. Make sure you’re planning ahead and bringing that much water along.
Replace salt, potassium and other minerals: If you’re sweatingheavily, you’re losing salt and other minerals. Salt works in your body to maintain the balance of water inside and outside your cell walls. Most of us have high enough sodium intakes in our diets to avoid hypoatremia — a condition where water swells and damages cells due to imbalance caused by lack of sodium — but this is a real concern for high caliber athletes like ultra-marathoners and distance cyclists. For the rest of us, the most likely consequence of not replacing salt and minerals is muscle cramping. It’s an easy fix though; replace some of your water with an electrolyte sports drink and munch some potassium rich foods like bananas and oranges before you work out. Interesting fact: everyone loses salt at a different rate, which is generally between 300 and 1,100 milligrams per pound of sweat.
Sunscreen: Apply often; apply liberally. Don’t forget that your lips and scalp can burn, too, and take proper precautions.
Sievert
Know what heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms are: Warning signs of heat exhaustion are heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and/or fainting. I happened to have the unfortunate experience of moderate heat exhaustion on a bike ride just a couple of weeks ago. I first noticed a headache brewing at about mile 12 of my ride. Just a few miles after that, I knew something was wrong and some of the other riders (thank you Jim and Greg) pointed out that I looked pale and needed to stop. Immediately, I realized that I had been unprepared for the heat and was experiencing the onset of heat exhaustion. I immediately got into the shade, cooled off as much as possible, drank a whole bottle of Powerade, and then headed back with Greg and Brian to where I could have myself and my bike picked up. The guys were super nice, and we took it slow and stopped several times while getting back to the car. I’m not going to lie, I was disappointed to cut my ride short, and it was hard to admit that I needed to turn back. I’m very glad I did though, because I was quite nauesated by the time I reached my car and further symptoms of heat exhaustion were not far behind.
The moral of the story is swallow your pride and know when you need to slow down or stop. There’s no harm in calling it quits in extreme heat, and there can be lots of harm if you keep going. If you’re out in the heat, and especially if you’re experiencing symptoms like I had, just stop. Have a buddy or two bring you back in case you need help. If you’re out by yourself, make sure someone knows where you are, when to expect you back, and what to do if you don’t get home. Do bring your cell phone for emergencies, but don’t make that your only plan. We all know that cell phones can break or not find a signal at the most inopportune times, so they shouldn’t be your only means of letting someone know where you are.
Heat stroke symptoms are much more serious and include extremely high body temperature (above 103 orally), red/hot/dry skin (no sweating), rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache and/or unconsciousness. Read the CDC site for complete recommendations on what to do, but if someone has these symptoms you must call for medical assistance immediately. First-aid includes cooling the victim as fast as possible using shade, water on the body, a cool shower, a wet sheet — whatever you’ve got. Heat stroke is life-threatening and should be treated as such.
Be careful and be ready for the heat the rest of this week and the rest of this summer. Take lots of breaks and get cool when you need to. As long as you’re vigilant, you’ll get home in one piece when you “Get Out” this summer.
It goes without saying that you should read the CDC’s extreme heat recommendations for further information. “Get Out” blog is not a medical source, so read it from the experts here: www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp
For really interesting info on salt and extreme running, check out: www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/salt.asp
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Cool off at Mark Twain Lake’s Spalding Beach
Jul 18th
Panoramic view of the beach area of Mark Twain Lake.
Sievert
It’s going to be hot this week. Very hot. I don’t know about you, but as soon as that thermometer tops 90 degrees, I’m looking for fun ways to cool off. Sure, you could go to a crowded pool this weekend, but if you’re really wanting to do something different, I suggest going over and checking out Mark Twain Lake’s Spalding Recreation Area.
The Spalding public beach at Mark Twain Lake is a short 40-minute drive from Quincy, and it’s a great summer destination for the whole family. The area features a swimming beach, a nice shady grassy area with picnic tables and charcoal grills, a sand volleyball net, and a bathroom and shower facility so that everyone can clean up and not drag sand into the car for the ride home.
The bottom of the lake at the swimming area is sand, which is nice for people who would rather not step in lake muck. Though there are no lifeguards on duty, the area is fairly safe for even small children because the increase in depth is very gradual and the swimming area is roped off from all boating traffic. 
As long as you’re keeping a close eye on the kids and having them use the right flotation devices, you should be good to go. Heads up: If you’re bringing water toys, there’s no air pump at the beach, so inflate those rafts before you get there or bring a hand pump. It’ll save you from getting blue in the face! There are a limited number of lifejackets available at the shelter house that can be borrowed, but you should probably bring your own if your kids need them.
Launching kayaks from the Spalding Recreation Area Beach.
For boaters, there is a launch at Spalding Recreation Area, and also sandy areas to pull up your boat and enjoy the beach. We launched kayaks from this area a few weeks ago, and it was the perfect point for setting off to explore.
Perhaps the best part about this close-to-home adventure is that it’s so affordable. For the cost of one ticket to the pool, the whole family can swim at Mark Twain Lake. Swimming costs $1 per person, up to a maximum of $4 per carload of people. The pay station is self-service as you drive in, so be sure to have exact change in cash. Bring along a picnic lunch and/or charcoal to barbecue with, and you’ve got all-day fun for everyone. No alcohol or glass containers are allowed at the recreation area, so plan your picnic accordingly. And don’t forget sunscreen!
Directions from Quincy: Take 172 across the bridge at Hannibal, continue on 24/36 and then turn right on Route J by the Spalding Recreation Area sign. If you reach the Cannon Dam, you’ve gone too far.
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Ride The Train: Katy Trail
Jul 14th
Katy Trail Trailhead in St. Charles, Mo.
It was one hot weekend, but that didn’t stop the Green Machine (that’s my bike) from hitting the trail for a serious cycling adventure! My husband and I left Quincy in the predawn hours of Saturday morning and headed south to catch the Katy Trail in St. Charles, Mo.
Sievert
The Katy Trail is a Missouri Rails-to-Trails project. The Rails-to-Trails program converts defunct railroad right-of-ways into multi-purpose recreational trails for public use. In this case, more than 240 miles of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT, or Katy for short) Railroad line have been redeveloped with wide hard-packed limestone trails that are primarily used for cyclists, hikers and runners. The current trail runs from Machens, Mo., (North of St. Charles) and follows the Missouri River west across the state through towns like Augusta, Herman, Jefferson City, and Columbia, and ends in Clinton, Mo. This trail is already the longest Rails-to-Trails project in the nation, but plans are in progress to extend the trail through to Kansas City and beyond.
We picked up the trail at the St. Charles riverfront early in the morning on Saturday. The St. Charles trailhead to Katy is very endearing. The city has refurbished its train station and even has an old engine and caboose sitting near the start of the trail. I couldn’t help but make choo-choo noises as we set off toward Augusta.
Justin Sievert bikes past some cows on the Katy Trail.
It was hot, but not yet unbearable, and as we left the St. Charles Station, there were many bikers, hikers and runners using the trail. It wasn’t more than a few miles down the road that the crowds thinned out and we had left the city behind. The country roads are charming. In places, the trail would be bordered on either side by tall wildflowers and wooden fences. There were more birds than I can even recall, but the ones that stood out the most were the Indigo Buntings. The dazzling turquoise birds against the sunny black-eyed susans were as pretty as a picture.
The biking itself started out very easy. After all, trains can’t run up very steep grade, so the Katy Trail is virtually flat. The 240 miles of flat trail seems like a cyclist’s dream, until you realize what flat trail really means. You may not ever be going up a hill, but you are also never going down one. Our speed was almost constant at 13 mph, and we were always pedaling. It was more exhausting than I expected! The surface adds some resistance as well. Though the limestone “pug” is hard-packed, it’s still gravel, and the feeling for my tires was a bit like riding through shallow sand.
Laura and her bike "The Green Machine" stand in the shadow of an enormous sandstone bluff on the Katy Trail near Defiance, MO.
Only seven miles from St. Charles, we pulled into the first stop along the trail at Green’s Bottom, Mo. Each of the 30-odd towns on the Katy feature small roofed “stations” with informative dioramas about the sections of trail immediately adjacent to the station. Much of the trail is built along the Lewis and Clark exploration route, and many of the graphics explained the historical significance of their journey. The gravesites of frontiersman Daniel Boone and his wife Rebecca lay along the trail, as do several Native American points of interest. The effort the Missouri Parks have put into making this trail both fun and educational cannot be overstated. There is even a guided cell phone audio tour at some stops. To hear the recording about the Katy Trail in St. Charles yourself, call (877)767-0603 and then press 10#.
Further down the trail there was so much to explore. It seemed like there was a new vista around every corner. The Missouri River was running high and fast on our left for many miles. The bluffs on our right were imposing and beautiful, at one point, they formed a natural shelter wall that was at least 150 yards long and 120 feet tall. When the trail steered us away from the river, some of the backwaters of the Missouri backed up into primordial looking wetlands, complete with bullfrog symphonies. The wildlife of the trail included several large turtles, lots of frogs and fence lizards, hawks, turkey buzzards, deer, herons and much more. There is even a small chance of spotting a black bear along the Katy, though it would be rare.
The Augusta Brewing Company offers cyclists a place for a cold beer and great lunch.
Another highlight of riding on the Katy Trail is the chance to explore the small towns of Missouri. Many of the stops had wineries, antique shops, bed and breakfast cottages and more. I especially liked that there were almost always “hitchin-posts” meant for horses but repurposed to chain up bikes. At our destination, Augusta, there was a brewery with craft beers and house-smoked meat sandwiches for lunch. If a micro-brewed IPA and smoked brisket aren’t reason enough to bike 28 miles, then I don’t know what is.
After over-indulging in Augusta, my husband hopped on his bike (The Blue Meanie), and we headed back to St. Charles. The same trail we had just ridden took on an entirely different character as the late afternoon descended. The golden colors of the fading light made the cornfields look graceful and the rock walls come alive. The butterflies and other bugs became active as the temperatures finally dipped into the 80s, and it was magical to ride through the clouds of fluttering color.
Each stop on the Katy Trail has a station like this one in Weldon Springs, Mo.
Our 57-mile round trip on the Katy Trail was supposed to be the beginning of a three-day trip, however, after only seven miles in the heat on Sunday, (Trail temp. was 102 with a heat index of 115+) we decided that the rest of the trail would have to wait. I am very much looking forward to riding the Katy again though, and we are planning to complete the entire 240 miles this autumn. Whether you’re headed down for a short ride or to take in the full length of the Katy Trail, I know that you’ll enjoy your trip. I think next time, I’ll bring one of those wooden train whistles to blow on at each stop…
For more information including mileage charts and attractions along the trail, visit www.bikekatytrail.com For the Missouri Katy Trail State Park information, visit mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park. To read more about Rails-to-Trails projects nationwide, visit www.railstotrails.org.
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Get Out this weekend! Three Ideas for the whole family
Jul 8th
Butterflies like the Great Spangled Fritillary can be found at Siloam Spring State Park.
It’s going to be hot and sunny all weekend, so I’ve got three ideas to share about how you can Get Out and enjoy the great outdoors.
1. United Way Partnering for a Better Community 5k Run/Walk
Why not start out Saturday morning by doing something good for yourself and good for your community? This is the first United Way Run/Walk in Quincy, but the organization hopes to make it an annual event. The 5k (3.1 mile) course will start from Quincy University Fitness Center at 18th and Oak Streets. Day-of-event registration will be $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 5 to 17. Registration starts at 7 a.m. and the race begins at 8 a.m.
2. Mark Twain Cave
At Mark Twain Cave. water flowing over limestone creates sheet-like deposits of calcite called flowstone.
After your run, you’re going to need a good way to cool off. I suggest heading down to Hannibal and touring Mark Twain Cave. Tours have been taking place historic limestone cave since 1886, making it one of the nation’s oldest show caves. Of course, it gained much of its fame through the writings of Mark Twain, but I think the best reason to Get Out and see this cave is its rich geologic beauty. The fact that the internal temperature of the cave is 52 degrees year round certainly doesn’t hurt on a hot weekend either. Besides the regular tours of Mark Twain Cave, you can also try a lantern tour of nearby Cameron Cave. These special tours are only available Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information, tour times and ticket prices, visit www.marktwaincave.com
3. Siloam Springs State Park
So you ran on Saturday morning, took in the caves on Saturday afternoon … I think you deserve a nice relaxing day at the park to round out your weekend. Sunday, head out to Siloam Springs with the whole family. I’ve blogged about Siloam Springs before because it remains one of the highest-quality, most-affordable getaways in the area. There are lovely picnic areas with shelter houses, grills, playground equipment and restroom facilities that are all free of charge. The trails are nice this time of year, and a walk through the wildflowers can be very relaxing. You can also rent boats or canoes for Crabapple Lake and spend the afternoon on the water. The concession area even stocks fishing tackle and bait for rent, and the lake has largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, carp, crappie, catfish, rainbow trout and redear. Remember, if you want to fish, you’ll need to get an Illinois License before you come to the park. They can be purchased at many local retailers including Hy-Vee, Game Masters and Walmart. Day permits are also available.
Sievert
Also, did you know that the Butterfly and Moth of North America Association have documented 75 species of butterflies in Adams County alone? Many of the species can be found at Siloam Springs around the lake and in the open meadows. Check out this website for the complete checklist: www.butterfliesandmoths.org/checklists?species_type=0&tid=912
So there you go, Quincy. Get Out this weekend and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. It’ll be gone before we know it.
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: Hannibal Cannibal: It’ll Eat You Up
Jul 6th
Lover's Leap Hill had signs like these the entire way up
The sign at the bottom read, “Hill? You Can’t Handle This Hill!”
Too shocked to have the sense to conserve my precious oxygen, I turned to the runner next to me and gasped, “Is this hill seriously trash talking us?!” I should have saved my breath because I needed every bit of O2 I could gather for the climb up Lover’s Leap in the middle section of the Hannibal Cannibal 5k Run.
Sievert: Hot and tired, but in one piece after the race.
The 16th annual Hannibal Cannibal was held this past Saturday morning in downtown Hannibal, Mo. More than 1,700 runners from 26 states braved temperatures that had already climbed into the mid-80s by 7 a.m. to participate in 5k or 10k courses. Each course began in downtown, headed up the highway and over the overpass, took a turn and then climbed the infamous 600-foot bluff known as Lover’s Leap.
This was only my second 5k run ever, but I was feeling pretty confident at the starting line. I gathered with the other slower runners near the back of the pack, and, when the cannon went off, the runners surged forward and formed a great river several blocks long and four lanes wide. My iPod playlist was cued up to a Deadweather song, and I felt like I was making good time as I crossed the highway overpass.
That’s about when the Hannibal Cannibal’s tag line, “It’ll eat you up,” began to make sense. Highway 79 from the overpass turns into a long, low hill. I’m going to say it’s about a 30-degree grade (though I’m just holding up my fingers to estimate, so I could be way off). The thing just goes on and on. I kept running, and it kept climbing. It was super hot, and I was kicking myself for leaving my sweatband sitting on my kitchen table back in Quincy. The course doubles back on itself, so the faster runners were all coming down the hill I was still trying to climb. I was jealous of those folks who had already made the turn.
When that hill finally did let up, I was treated to a glass of lukewarm water, and then started making my way back down the hill. The relief was only temporary though, because I was approaching Lover’s leap.
The “You Can’t Handle this Hill” sign was only the beginning of the Cannibal’s biggest weapon’s assault on me. The sign’s barb had me fired up, and I charged with renewed energy. Talk trash to me, will you, Hill? I’ll show you!
But it just kept coming! The grade increased to what seemed like 90 degrees, and the next sign teased, “Feel the burn?” I did feel the burn, but I wasn’t about to walk.
The Hill, unperturbed with my continued insolence, informed me, “Even your car can’t make it up this hill.” I’ll admit, the thought of my Camry and its very capable air conditioner caused me a great deal of mental anguish, but I was determined to keep going.
My calf muscles had worked themselves into a ball by the time the Hill hurled its next dagger, “Free Oxygen Ahead.” This one was a significant blow, because I’d completely forgotten what it was like to breathe. I had to walk past the next warning, “Yes, there is a Cannibal at the top.” I resigned myself to my imminent demise and thought, “At least if the waiting Cannibal devours me, I won’t have to run all the way back downtown.”
Laura Sievert and MaryAnn Cornwell stop for a quick picture before the race began.
But suddenly I was there at the top. Some saintly volunteer had a water sprayer and I reveled in the cool mist as I jogged past. I grabbed a glass of water and then saw the Cannibal himself! He was gnawing on a bone that I assume was a human femur (or possibly a turkey-leg, but we’ll go with femur.) He was distracted! It was time to make a run for it!
I dashed past the distracted barbarian and didn’t even look over my shoulder to see if I was being pursued! It wasn’t long before I was turning the corner back toward the finish line. I’d made it! It was hard, and it was hot, but I was very proud. I clocked a time of 39 minutes and change. That was slower than my Bridge the Gap time, but I’ll tell you this, I’m not a bit disappointed. Running the Hannibal Cannibal was every bit of the challenge that they bill it to be, and I’m excited to have survived in one piece.
To view race results and to see lots more photos, visit http://hannibalcannibal.com
Also, congratulations to all the runners who participated in this race, especially my friends MaryAnn, Amy, Melissa, and Jeff. Well done, everyone!
Laura Sievert
SIEVERT: America the Beautiful: Our Parks
Jul 1st
Kirstin Smith, Ryan Craven and Laura and Justin Sievert last weekend at Cuivre River State Park in Troy, Missouri.
America the Beautiful. It’s a standard folk song that we all know by heart. Lyrics speak of purple mountains majesty above the fruited Plains, and unite us all under a banner from sea to shining sea. For a country with so many great landmarks, the ones that most capture our imaginations are the mountains, rivers, canyons, waterfalls, geysers and other areas of expansive wilderness.
Sievert
The recognition of the value of these vast areas of natural beauty came early in our democracy. In 1864, Abraham Lincoln signed a federal land grant to the state of California that set aside large tracts of land for preservation of the natural beauty of the wilderness. This was the first land ever in the world to be set aside by a federal government for the common enjoyment of its citizens. While many of the natural riches of Europe were privately held by wealthy aristocrats, Lincoln and other early leaders saw these assets as too grand to be owned, and too glorious not to share with the citizenry of the United States.
The first official National Park was created in 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed in to law protections for the 2.2 million acre the area known as Yellowstone. The land that Lincoln first set aside was later incorporated with the surrounding area, and Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks were formed in 1890. Later, President Theodore Roosevelt became one of the staunchest proponents of the National Parks. He created five new parks while he was in office, and also secured additional land in Yellowstone specifically for the preservation of the migration routes of the American Buffalo.
Laura Sievert stops to pose by a sign on a portion of the Appellation Trail inside Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
There are now 58 National Parks in the United States, along with a mind-boggling 6,624 State Parks, and countless other protected recreation areas or nature reserves. There are around 1 billion visits to these parks in the United States annually, and even so, I think we sometimes take these areas for granted. I hope this Independence Day, you get the chance to visit one of these great areas. The parks of this country are something we all own a little piece of, or perhaps more accurately, they own a little piece of us. They are a uniquely American idea, and they embody the limitless sense of adventure so fundamental to the spirit of this great nation.
For me, the parks have become a refuge from the bustle of life, a place I go to restore my soul, to challenge my body, and to quiet my mind. I never feel more whole than when twigs are crunching under my boots out in the wild places of the United States. Every vista I’ve seen, each trail I’ve traversed, and each river I’ve navigated, add immeasurably to my sense of my place on the earth as it rolls round the sun. And the parks, certainly, make me proud to be an American.
The hike up Mt. Rainier's Nisqually Glacier begins at a set of stairs bearing a quote from the famous conservationist John Muir. Mt. Rainer National Park is the 5th oldest in the nation and was established in 1899.
“The parks do not belong to one state or to one section. … The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man of Massachusetts, of Michigan, of Florida, as they do to the people of California, of Wyoming, and of Arizona … Who will gainsay that the parks contain the highest potentialities of national pride, national contentment, and national health? A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness. … He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the national parks.” — Stephen T. Mather, National Park Service Director, 1917-1929
Laura Sievert
