Category: Runners’ Training

GYMBOSS

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Runners Accessories, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

Even if my Garmin Forerunner 305 has Interval Workout
feature which up to now I don’t really even know how it is operated, I still
bought a Gymboss which I could easily clip on my running shorts or gym workout
pants or just simply place it on a table or any part of the room if I want to
use it.

While I was visiting the ARC Store in Manila last April, I
was trying to look for a pedometer or any gadget that would count my steps/cadence
while walking/hiking or running. Instead of looking for one, my eyes caught the
colorful Gymboss gadget displayed on one of the walls of the store. I
immediately lifted one of the units and tried to read the instructions on how
to use it.

Such visit in the said store ended buying a silver colored
Gymboss with a price of P 1,275.00. You might be surprised why I bought this
small gadget impulsively and without any hesitation.

An Exact Replica of my GYMBOSS

The main reason why I bought the Gymboss was to use it in my
“Tabata” workouts for push-ups, sit-ups, strengthening workouts (yoga and
pilates) and dumdbell exercises at home.

Anyone can easily operate the Gymboss by selecting the
times/periods involved in my Tabata workouts to include the time of the
exercise, time of rest in-between exercise, the number of frequency, and the
selection whether you prefer a beep sound or vibration mode for the start and
end of every interval.

To give you an example of what I’ve been doing in my Tabata
workouts—I set the Gymboss for a duration of 40 seconds for me to do any kind
of exercise (push-ups, sit-ups, yoga/pilates pose, or strengthening exercises
using the dumdbell or any weight machine) and then set one-half of the duration
of my exercise as my rest interval which is 20 seconds. As a minimum of set of
intervals, I set 20 times which take exactly 20 minutes to do one set or cycle
of my exercises. In between intervals, the Gymboss would beep to warn the user
that it is the end/start of an interval period.

For almost three months, I’ve been using the Gymboss
purposely for my Tabata workouts and later for my daily 10-minute squat workout.
But it can be used also for running and cycling.

In running, one can use it for speed interval workouts at
the oval track and also with the Jeff Galloway method of running where one
could set the period of running and walking on interval mode.

GYMBOSS For Jeff Galloway's Running Method

In cycling, the Gymboss can be used in interval workouts in
actual road cycling and on stationary bike if you want spinning workouts.

I highly recommend GYMBOSS to any endurance athlete.
Hopefully, ARC Manila has still stock available for everybody interested to own
this gadget.

2011 Takbo Runfest 16K

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Places to Run, Races, Runners' Training, Running4 Comments

Respect and Loyalty. These are the two basic words that explain why I decided to run this 3rd edition of this running event which commemorates the 3rd Anniversary of Takbo.ph. Takbo.ph had been the No. 1 Running resource here in the country and it is very instrumental in spreading the awareness of long distance running to everybody. Takbo.ph had done a wonderful job for the past 3 years. Thanks to Jinoe & Quennie Gavan and to the rest of the Takbo.ph members for their dedication to running.

My attendance to this event could not be possible without the help of Jonel/FrontRunner Magazine who reacted to my call for a Race Packet as I was not able to register for this race due to my long stay abroad. Thanks, Jonel and I know already whom to call if ever I decide to run shorter races in the future.

BR as Patagonia Model

At 4:55 AM, I was already at the Starting area and I observed the usual festive mood in road races done in Metro Manila. I think the last race that I joined with this kind of atmosphere was the Condura Marathon last February. I just smiled and try to compare the simplicity of my ultra races and to the rest of the road races that are done in the city. However, it is a must to have such festive mood to give justice to all the corporate sponsors that supported the event and at the same time “prep” the runners before the start of the race.

After almost 5 months of absence in road races in Metro Manila, old and new runners would greet me that would end up for photo-ops. It was nice to see friends whom I’ve been running with for the past 3-4 years. I was able to observe that there are new faces in running in different forms and sizes. This is a good indication that more of our countrymen are getting aware of adhering to a healthy lifestyle through long distance running.

My attendance to this race, aside from being seen and meeting old and new friends, was purposely used as my formal “comeback” run after recovering from an injury. It was also my intension to use the 16K race as my slow long distance run as part of my new training.

Easy Running

My new training program (on experimentation) is basically based on my Heart Rate Monitor (heart’s beats per minute). The goal is to be able to maintain an Average Heart Rate of 132-142 beats per minute during the run in order to develop my aerobic endurance base. Translating this to my average running pace, it is very, very, slow that I would end up brisk walking in some segments of the course.

The race started on time and I was at the back of the whole pack once all the runners cleared the starting line. I was wearing two watches: Garmin Forerunner 305 on my left wrist and a Timex Watch with Heart Rate Monitor on my right wrist. My heart rate started at 122 bpm and gradually increased up to 135 bpm. During the run, I kept on glancing on my right wrist just to be sure that my heart rate monitor will not spike to 160 bpm.

By strictly observing my HR throughout the race, I was able to observe all the things that were going on, from the front/lead runners all the way to the last runners! Through the different turn-around points, I was able to greet and see more runners which I’ve never done before in my previous races. I guess, my new training brought me another view and perspective on how to observe the conduct of races and at the same time being seen by everybody.

BR with Barefoot Runner

Another aspect that resulted in this race was the fact that I had a lot of conversations with new runners at the back of the pack whose main purpose in joining the race was to be able to finish it. I came to realize that I was also a runner trying to inspire and motivate people at the back to finish the race, not through my posts in this blog, but also in “action” in road races! This another definition of running as fun!

Having Fun With The "Bald Runners" of Team Kamote

Special mention goes to Team Kamote Runners who were with me at the back of the whole pack. This team is awesome and a happy group that they run and finish together as a group/team. I enjoyed staying with this group from Km 8-12! See you in my ultra races!

A road race is not successful without the volunteers. I am happy to note that the ultra runners from the 1st  generation of Takbo.ph members were in full force as volunteers along the way as marshals, cheerers, and photographers. Guys, you are the best!

Having Fun With Runners At The Back of the Pack

Who cares about the finish time and PR for the race if you are following a new training program that would result to an injury-free running career for the years to come? But for the record, I crossed the finish line in 2:34+ hours (my GF time) with a bonus of 500+ meters. Yes, I was able to maintain an average heart rate of 132-142 bpm throughout the race and I really enjoyed the company of runners as well as the volunteers.

Based from my GF data and consistent to my new training, I usually cover 6.22 kilometers every hour with an average HR of 142 bpm. Translated to ultra run pace, you can easily finish a 100-mile endurance within the cut off time of 30-32 hours if you have the patience to follow this kind of new training. However, due to the heat and humidity in the country, I could run and walk slower at 5.66 kilometers per hour and still maintaining my average HR at 132-142 bpm.

This is the reason why I discovered a formula for the most relaxing cut-off time in my ultra races. Divide 5.66 kilometers by the distance of the race and you have your prescribed cut-off time!

Congratulations to Takbo.ph for another successful event! Happy 3rd Year Anniversary!

See you on the roads and trails!

(Note: Whoever posted the pictures above at FB, my special thanks to you, guys!)

Recalculating…

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Practice Runs, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Ultramarathon3 Comments

If you are familiar or have a GPS gadget in your car or in your iPhone/Android Apps (not in your Garmin Forerunner watch), you would know about the word.

Once you set your destination on the said GPS and push the button “GO”, you are “locked” to the said place and the GPS will do the rest for you by taking the fastest route (or sometimes, the less traffic route) and it will lead you exactly to your destination. However, if you miss a street or a turn, a voice of a lady would be be audible and you would hear the word, “recalculating”!

The word, Recalculating, will warn you that your GPS will correct your mistake and finally, bring you on course to your destination.

At this point in my running career as an average runner, I am on a “recalculating” mode after missing a “turn” or missing an “exit” along the highway. In long distance running, those “missed turns and exits” could be similar to mistakes in training; injury; plateau in competition; wrong choice of running shoes and apparel; wrong coach; wrong attitude; wrong company of running friends; wrong goals/objectives; boredom; wrong values; wrong choice of races; wrong focus; or simply, wrong choice of living the life!

So, “recalculating” mode would mean to me as rest and recovery; change in training; change in one’s strategy in racing, nutrition & hydration; changes in Race Directing; changing in one’s attitude; changing one’s values; changing one’s outlook in life; or simply said, completely “overhaul” of what I’ve learned and doing before. Recalculating is Changing!

With my running and preparation for my next race, I have embarked on a different approach which I’ve been doing for the past one week. This kind of training will take me at least 3 months to determine and test if it is working for me. I hope that the duration of 3 months would completely bring back my aerobic endurance base. I really need PATIENCE in this kind of training.

Give me three (3) months before I could post in this blog if I am improving or not. Knowing that running is an experiment of one, I hope this kind of training approach and philosophy will guide me towards more years of living and be able to fulfill my “dreams and bucket list” in running. (Note: It does not mean that I will be out from blogging from those 3 months!)

Let us find time to think and ponder on the quotation below:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself”—-Tolstoy

Squat Test

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Movies, Runners Injury, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

Last month, I was able to get a free copy of the Competitor Magazine and one of the featured articles is about Kelly Starrett’s stretching methods and workouts which are featured in his blog at www.mobilitywod.com. In his blog, he promised his readers that he will post stretching exercises on a daily basis which started sometime in August of last year.

What impressed me most is his 10-minute “squat test” which he featured in his first “you tube” post in his blog. And for the past week and days, I’ve been dong this workout on a daily basis. On my first day, I could hardly bend my legs due to the tightness of my left lower quads, calf and knee (due to my injury). I could hardly complete a 2-minute duration of half-squat. I admit I cheated on my first day by trying to tip-toe my feet while bending my legs on half-squat. It was really painful and challenging that I have to sweat it out before finishing a duration of 2 minutes. I was not able to complete the 10-minute squat test on my first day!

Persistence and patience did it and after 10 days, I could already fully squat with my feet flat on the floor but I have to either use the wall as my anchor on my back or hold the legs or edge of a heavy table while keeping myself on a squat position for continuous duration of 10 minutes.

I am happy to say that I got positive results for the past 3 days. My tight quads and calf had loosen and I could no longer feel any pain on my left knee while walking or jogging. I would say that the daily 10-minute squat test is very effective in treating my injury.

As what Kelly Starrett has recommended, I have been strictly following his basic instructions for injured runners/athletes on their lower extremities. Aside from the daily 10-minute squat test, these are his key instructions:

1. Hydrate your body tissues. The formula is to divide your weight in pounds by two and the result is the number of fluid ounces your have to normally drink everyday. If you are involved in running or any endurance sports, you have to drink 16 fluid ounces for every hour of workout. Right now, my weight is 146 pounds, by dividing it to 2, the result is 73. That is 73 fluid ounces of water! If there are 33.8 fluid ounces in one liter, then you can do your math as to how many liters of water you have to drink every day.

2. Take some supplements. He recommends Glucosamine and Omega Oil (Fish Oil) as daily supplements for one’s nutrition needs. He says that these supplements lubricate the joints, reduce inflammation and speed recovery.

3. Follow the Mobility Workout of the Day as featured in his blog.

Desperately wanting to speed up my recovery from my injury, I’ve been a “sucker” to Kelly’s method and instructions. I’ve been following his instructions for the past two weeks (to include the supplements) and I am recovering fast. One more week of “squats” and I would be back again pounding my feet on the ground.

If you are interested to follow the Mobility Workouts of the Day of Kelly Starrett, you can click the MobilityWOD on my blogroll.

The following “you tube” clip was Kelly Starrett’s first blog post on the 10-minute “squat” test.

Bohemian Rhapsody

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Music, Practice Runs, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program1 Comment

Do you remember this song?

It was a part of my Playlist in my Ipod and always hear this song during my running workouts and road races. And I really liked it and it brought some strength and power in me in my road races. This song really drives me to exert some more effort because of its music composition, style and some understanding of the lyrics.

But two years ago, I just simply dropped using the “wires” during my workouts and road runs and completely forgotten the song in my mind. However, lately, while recovering from my injury, the thing to do was to browse the Internet and watch/listen to “live” concerts of famous singers on You Tube. Actually, I am fond of watching Shirley Bassey’s Concerts on her younger days, watching her sing the song, Never, Never, Never and her rendition of the songs from the James Bond 007 movies in the past. You can watch her sing the rest of her songs here and here!

Well, that shows how old I am and I am pretty sure that my contemporaries (my age group) will be happy to watch and listen to these old songs which bring back good memories in the past. Guys, you know who you are!

One thing led to another until I thought of the song, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

I first heard of this song during my first R & R (Rest & Recreation) as a Platoon Leader from the combat areas of Maguindanao in December 1975 (barely 10 months after graduating from the Academy). It was the same time when Disco Music was so popular on the radios then. But the song, Bohemian Rhapsody, stands out then as a Rock Song which is totally different from the standard rock songs of other bands, like the Beatles, Dave Clark 5, Herman’s Hermits, Rolling Stones, Procul Harum, Deep Purple and others. From then on, this song was one of my favorites where the CD copy is still in my collection of music.

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I’m just a poor boy (poor boy), I need no sympathy
Because I’m easy come, easy go
little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me, to me

Well, just forget the lyrics but the music composition/arrangements, tune and the imagination on how the lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury, sings his solo act and the rest of the band blend their voices, give something out in me whenever I hear this song. It is so powerful that you are inspired to force yourself to do something harder, faster, and stronger! There is mystery in that song that drives me something to excel some more!

Listening to the song is like doing a tempo run or staying with your strategy during a road or trail running race! It is said that the song has three (3) distinct parts, some says there are six or four. But I would consider it in 3 distinct parts. The first part would consist of the introduction with the 4 blending voices of the members and the solo act of Freddie Mercury; the second part starts with the solo guitar rendition up to the end of the opera act singing; and the third part goes back to the slow solo performance of Freddie Mercury until the end of the song.

If you relate the song to running a race or tempo run, a runner starts with a slow pace for about 2 kilometers and then steadily progressing to a faster pace and maintaining such race pace before the last 2 kilometers of the distance and later, finishing the run with a steady slower pace before ending the run. The result is a good 10K tempo run!

In road and trail races, your performance and strategycould relate also the arrangements of the song. A runner starts the race in a easy and slower pace then picking up his pace on the middle part and sustaining his race pace while his body could sustain it. Sometimes on the middle of the race, a runner encounters some “issues” and change in pace or for some adjustments but basically, the runner would stay on to keep up his intended race pace. And at the end, the runner slows down once he/she crosses the finish line and it’s time to rest and recover.

If you are a “newbie” runner, this is a song that could gauge your workout while listening to it. Start with walking on the first part of the song, then slowly picking up a pace to jog on the middle part, and then slowly going back to walk on the last part. You can repeat the song so many times as the whole song covers an elapsed time of 6 minutes plus a few seconds. If you can repeat this song for five times, then you have a solid 30+ minutes of a good workout for the day. Why don’t you try it!

For sure, this song brings back good memories. By the way, I’ve added a Solo Ukelele rendition of the same song by Jake Shimabukuro. I hope you will like it, too!

Enjoy the show and keep on running!

(Sources: You Tube & Wikipedia)

Hiking

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Runners' Training, Running, Trail Running, Travel, Ultramarathon5 Comments

Hiking While On Recovery

This picture says it all about my present condition. I’ve been hiking, sometimes jogging, for the past weeks.

During my dull moments, I’ve been making a lot of research about hiking the wilderness and the art of “fast and light” backpacking and its techniques which are abundant in printed references, journals, and through the Internet. We will see what this activity will offer us in the future as an incoming “senior citizen”.

By the way, do we have a national government office in the Philippines that administers all the National Parks and Wilderness Areas in the country?

86th Comrades Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Military, Places to Run, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Travel, Ultramarathon2 Comments

Comrades Marathon Logo

They call this running event as “Marathon” even if it is actually an Ultra Marathon Race with a distance of 86.96 Kilometers (52 Miles). The race route is on the paved road between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. It is one of the oldest ultra marathon races in the world but at present, it is being dubbed as the world’s largest ultra marathon race whose runners would reach up to 23,000 with cheerers and spectators lined up throughout the course! (With the increasing number of International runners reaching up to almost 2,000, this event promotes Sports Tourism to South Africa!)

This Sunday, May 29, it will be the 86th edition of the race which started as a commemoration of the dead British & South African soldiers who were the casualties during World War I. It was created by a retired British Army Officer to honor his “comrades” who died as heroes during the World War I Campaign in South Africa, hence, it was named as the Comrades Marathon.

If they have the Comrades Marathon in the continent of AFRICA, then we have also the Bataan Death March 102K & 160K Ultra Marathon Races in ASIA. The reason and purpose of the two running events are similar but Bataan Death March attracts more interest due to its historical significance, popularity and involvement of war’s atrocities and heroism of the Filipinos and Americans.

The following link will describe in details the history of the Comrades Marathon from its origin up to its last edition last year.

http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/comrades.htm

Due to the popularity of the Comrades Marathon in Europe and USA, I read somewhere and overheard other ultra runners saying that you are finally called as a “full pledged ultra runner” if you have finished the Comrades Marathon within the prescribed cut-off time of 12 hours. It is for this reason that I am already making my travel preparation and training for the next year’s edition of the race! God willing.

In the Philippines, a runner is not a full pledged ultra runner if he/she has not finished the BDM 102K Ultra Marathon Race within the prescribed cut-off time of 18 hours. It is my personal declaration and I will stand by it.

You can browse more about how to join the Comrades Marathon at their website at www.comrades.com.

Bands

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Practice Runs, Runners Injury, Runners' Training, Running2 Comments

I am not referring to Rock Bands.

These are strap bands that are very popular among athletes, most especially to runners.

For the past weeks, I could not run without using these bands. They are simply called PT Bands or Pro-Tec Bands, their brand name.

For the first two weeks, I’ve been using the PT Runner’s Knee Band on my left leg which is the one where I’ve been injured. However, instead of placing the front of the band beneath my knee cap, I place the “hard” part of the band behind my knee in order to relieve a mild pain on it.

Pro-Tec Knee Band

After two weeks, I was able to buy a Pro-Tec IT Band Strap which I use to strap my lower left quads. The said strap was able to relieve the pain on my lower quads whenever I over exert my left leg. This strap had been a good medical aid during my runs.

Pro-Tec IT Band

I’ve been putting some miles again on the road and trails by running and hiking and these two bands (Knee and IT) had been helpful in easing the pain  on my leg.

This is how it looks when they are strapped on my left leg.

My Left Leg With Straps!

I could be hard-headed again with my treatment and recovery but it makes me CRAZY & bored if I can’t run/walk at least once a day no matter what the distance is.

(Note: 1st & 2nd pictures were copied from the Pro-Tec Band’s website)

Do We Love Pain?

On By kingofpotsIn Books, Insights, Runners' Training, Running, Trail Running, Ultramarathon1 Comment

The following is an article that I copied from a trail running book which I want to share to my readers, whether you are a newbie runner or an accomplished/competitive ultra runner. You can share also your answer to the said question on the title.

Do We Love Pain? 

Not long ago, I posted the question on a blog site: “Are we endurance athletes driven by the solipsistic need for self-validation, as in, ‘we hurt, therefore we are’; or is it that we love the pain and exertion and, therefore, more is better?”

The answers were quite edifying so I thought I’d share them:

–Personally, I love it–the pain, I mean. But most importantly, I view the pain as the engine to drive me to reach my goals. In other words, I know I’m hurting because I’m on hour four of a six-hour effort and that I’m that much closer to seeing nature in full effect. Or, that the pain is getting me through a technical uphill section. The pain is an indication that I’m do-ing!

–I train so I don’t hurt any more.

–I tend to agree; when I was most prepared to race, pain wasn’t much of a factor. The validation came in competing against others.

 –I was getting massage last night, and the therapist asked, “You do work your body hard, don’t you? What is your motivation?” I didn’t know what to say, mainly because my face was being shoved into the hole as he stretched my calf and it was hard to talk anyway…but he made me think. I don’t know that I have a good answer, but I agree that training is to avoid future pain, I also know that I absolutely love being out in the wilderness, and the harder I train, the more time I am able to spend in that environment.

–It’s all about the balance. You feel so good afterwards because you suffered through the pain during it. The sweetness of completing something wouldn’t be the same if it was easy to do. Being in pain, working through it, and finishing bring the accomplishment more meaning.

–I say it’s like most things in life: combo platter.

–I don’t love pain…but it makes me stronger, and in that way it helps me achieve my goals. I think the key to the answer lies within our personal goals.

–Balance. For me it’s all about the three-part teeter totter: sport, family, work. Each causes (good) pain the harder you try at it, and all must be in balance to make each truly meaningful.

–Maybe we like the pain. Maybe we’re wired that way. Because without it, I don’t know, maybe we just wouldn’t feel real. What’s that saying? “Why do I keep hitting myself with a hammer? Because it feels so good when I stop.” I can’t take credit for the qoute, but it seems somewhat appropriate.

–I love it and think that more is fun but moderation is the key to longevity and health. I’m enjoying my Boston Marathon hangover. Pain is relative. I just wish I could recover quicker!

–If pain feels good, if pain = pleasure, then is it really pain? But I am proud to be one of the finish-line crossers so maybe pain = proud.

–It’s not the pain that’s enjoyable, it’s the feeling of accomplishment and daily reinforcement that your body is adapting—getting stronger and/or faster. Pain is a reminder that you pushed hard. We need to be more aware about the weakest point in our body, as that seems to break first. Strengthen the weakest part to keep the rest in balance.

–So many times I’ve been asked if I love pain. Or, why do I put myself through all this “insane training and criminal early (very early) morning runs?” And I have questioned myself, too: why? I love pain, I do, it make me feel alive! It makes me feel I trained, I paid my dues, I have a right to be where I am. Too crazy? Maybe.

(Source: The Ultimate Guide To Trail Running: 2nd Edition by Adam Chase & Nancy Hobbs. Guilford, Connecticut: 2010; pages 71-73)

5 + 9 = 59

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Runners' Training, Running, Trail Running, Ultramarathon6 Comments

Don’t be confused with that simple arithmetic. I am now 59 years old, 3 years after my retirement from the military service and 4 years after I have renewed my dedication and time in serious running and be the Bald Runner.

To celebrate the day, I would have to run 59 kilometers but with my recovery from injury, I would be committing a “suicide” and make my condition worse.

It was a choice of running 59 minutes or 59 seconds or walking 59 steps or 59 meters or running 5 + 9 = 14 kilometers.

And finally…

To make the day significant, I had to run without any pit stop. I added the two numbers in my age and I was able to run 14…miles, not kilometers! That is equivalent to 22.4 kilometers with some additional yards & feet as change. I finished the distance in 2:35:20 hours with an average pace of 11:02 minutes per mile (6:51 minutes per km) and an elevation gain of 1,120 feet (342 meters). It was a slow and easy run but it was worth every pace and stride of it.

One year more and I will be a dual-citizen…Filipino + Senior Citizen. I was able to get a “tip” from Sir Amado Castro Jr aka Reinier6666 that the Senior Citizens have a lot of privileges to include free movies on Mondays; free admission at the ULTRA Oval Track; 20% discount on meals in restaurants and purchase of medicines in drugstores; and if I declare my residence in Makati City, I would be receiving medical privileges in their hospitals and one sack of rice (?) and birthday cake every time I celebrate my succeeding birthdays. Sir Amado and I made a deal to be meeting every Monday for meals and movies after “race walking” with him at the ULTRA Oval Track as soon as I will get my Senior Citizen’s Card next year!

I would like to express my sincerest thanks to those who greeted me at Facebook (400+ friends out of 1,125), through e-mail, SMS, and personal greetings.  It took me hours to reply each greetings from my Wall which I truly enjoyed. As usual, Jonel aka FrontRunner was the first to greet me and Sir Amado had the longest message. Thanks, Jonel & Sir Amado and to everybody.

So, what is next?

I will still be running but more on ultra marathon (and marathon training for a Boston Qualifier and as LSD workout) and this blog will be featuring more on ultra marathon training and activities. And I will be adding “hiking and backpacking” as my other cross-training sports activity (not necessarily posting my journal here in this blog).

I want to be like this (excluding the hair!)….

Hiker/Backpacker (Source: Google Images)

Watch out for the Bald Packer or Bald Hiker or Bald Backpacker or Bald Ultra Walker! Any suggestion?