I finally got outside this weekend to do something other than yard work! I headed up to the Columbia River Gorge for a short hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to Dry Creek Falls. It was awesome. The trail was nice, the weather was great, and it just felt damn good to be outside in the forest again. Here are some pics of the trip. There is what looks like a now-defunct dam in the creek just under the waterfall. I’m not sure what that is. The guidebook didn’t even mention it. I’m very curious about it! (more…)
May 3, 2009
PCT/Dry Creek Falls Hike
Posted by Tony McCray under hiking | Tags: dry creek, dry creek falls, hike, hiking, pacific crest trail |Leave a Comment
April 29, 2009
Hello loyal blog reader. Are you still out there? I figured it was about time I cleared the dust off my blog and gave an update of sorts. Like what I have been doing since I got my tooth pulled. (more…)
March 15, 2009
Here is the “flipper” I’ll be wearing for the next six months or so while the bone graft heals, the implant is done, and finally a permanent crown is put on.
The flipper
Here I am wearing the flipper. Joanne is making me laugh, and it hurts to smile right now. That’s my excuse for looking so funny. Laughing and smiling big, but trying hard not to smile so hard because it hurts, which just makes me laugh more.
Here I am with the flipper. Doesn't quite fit like the original.
March 13, 2009
I got my tooth pulled this morning. Unfortunately the infection had destroyed a lot of the bone, so they couldn’t do the implant today. Instead they did a bone graft. That needs to heal for three months, and then they’ll do the implant. If that goes well then about three more months after that they’ll place a crown on the implant and I should be all done with this.
I look funny...well, funnier than normal
March 12, 2009
In 10.5 hours I’ll be at the dentist getting tooth number ten pulled. Last year I had a root canal on the tooth after it became infected. This year it got infected again. It looks like the tooth is cracked, so now it has to come out. Here are before and (assumed) after pictures. FWIW, I could never be a dentist. The thought of pulling a tooth out of someones jaw, and many other procedures a dentist must perform, makes me cringe.
March 12, 2009
Eagle Creek Trail Run
Posted by Tony McCray under Running, Ultramarathon Training | Tags: pct ultra training, Running, trail running |Leave a Comment
Early part of the Eagle Creek trail. Beautiful, even on a grey, rainy day.
Last Saturday I went for a run with Jessica of Portland Trail Runners on the Eagle Creek trail in the Gorge. This is one of my favorite trails to run. If you live around here and you have never hiked or run up Eagle Creek, you are really missing out. The plan was to run to Tunnel Falls and back; a 12 mile round trip. Recent reports said there were a few blowdowns, small slides, and patches of snow to contend with, but overall the trail was pretty passable. We were going to find out!
March 1, 2009
Randomness
Posted by Tony McCray under Running, Ultramarathon Training, Uncategorized | Tags: hagg_lake_run, Running, timberline half marathon, Training |[2] Comments
Am I out of shape? I got to thinking last night about the Hagg Lake Trail Run from last Saturday, and the Timberline “Half Marathon” from last September. The former race was about 15.25 miles. The latter about 14. Hagg Lake had 3400 feet of elevation gain. Timberline of 3500. (If we believe my Garmin Forerunner 305. I think it overshoots the elevation, but since I used the same device for both events, the numbers are comparable.) Hagg Lake had a lot of mud, but wasn’t too bad. Timberline was completely dry and warm.
I ran around Hagg Lake in 2:39:23, a 10:17 min/mile pace. I ran the Timberline Half Marathon in 1:50:28, about a 7:52 min/mile pace. And I won that race. What a difference a few months, and some very haphazard training makes! In thinking about my experience at Timberline though, I know where I can get fitness wise, and I know what it takes to get there. I’ve even got a plan. Now all I have to do is execute…and hopefully not get injured!
March 1, 2009
Saturday Ride and a Timely Catch
Posted by Tony McCray under Cycling | Tags: Cycling, south town velo, team oregon, team ride |Leave a Comment
After about eight weeks off the bike I finally got out with my team, South Town Velo, for a ride. I figured they’d hurt me a bit, since of course they have all been riding consistently since this time last year. Route choices included a 53 miler and a 76 miler – with plenty of logical bail out points throughout. I figured I’d be taking one of those bail outs.
February 24, 2009
First Run after Hagg Lake
Posted by Tony McCray under Running, Ultramarathon Training | Tags: Running, Training |[2] Comments
I made it out for a run yesterday morning, preceded by some light strength training, and followed by almost 30 minutes of stretching. Overall I didn’t feel too bad. An area on the outside of my left leg, below the knee, hurt a bit, just like it did after the race. It actually felt better after the run/stretch, and I fully expect the next few days, with no run training, will heal it fully. Otherwise I was just sore and tight. The pace/HR were both ok. I definitely felt slow, but during the faster part of my run I averaged a 9:11 mile with my HR barely into zone 2. The stretching at the end definitely felt nice, and I seem to be recovering well from Hagg Lake.
Just hoping now that I can continue training without further interruptions! An upcoming tooth ‘extraction’ (next week?) could take me out for a few days, but that remains to be seen.
February 21, 2009
2009 Hagg Lake 25k Trail Run
Posted by Tony McCray under Running, Ultramarathon Training | Tags: hagg lake trail run, Running, trail running |[2] Comments
After not running for almost three weeks (I actually ran about 3 miles yesterday 
I went out and did the Hagg Lake 25k Trail Run. I originally registered for the 50k run, but clearly I wasn’t ready for a 31 mile run today. In all honesty I wasn’t really ready for a 15.5 mile run, but I registered, I needed to get back to training, and I needed to get out and run. So I went, figuring I would just take it easy.
