Contents
The long and windy trail
Early (8am) this Sunday Feb 24!
Changing the start time this Sunday to 8AM, since the one person who has RSVPd (so far) has memorial service/celebration plans in the early afternoon.
When
- 2013 February 10, Sunday 11:00AM
- 2013 February 24, Sunday 11:00AM 8:00AM
Summary
A couple weeks ago, me, Barefoot Barefoot Don, and Herman went for a fun run in Chino Hills. I wanted to get some hill trail practice before the Chino Hills Trail Run Series 10-mile race which I plan on doing 2013 March 9. It soon became obvious that I needed to run a bit more on the hills before the race, so we’re doing it again (2013 February 10 Sunday), and again (2013 February 24 Sunday), and you’re all welcome to join me, and whoever else shows up.
Except for the gravel parking lot, and the path to the starting line, and about 1/4 mile at the start and finish, which is some really stimulating challenging crushed rock, the trails in this race are mostly hard-pack dirt, clay, and bedrock, with a few small (less than a few meters, in most cases) patches of rough gravel, so it should be “BARE-able” for any experienced barefoot runners who are ready for a challenging, hilly, 10 mile trail race. And the worst parts at the start (and again at the finish) should serve to remind us all (barefoot runners) to run gently.
How Far
- 10 miles
- Running (and/or walking and/or waddling) up 4.5 miles from about 500 feet elevation to 1600 feet, and 5.5 miles back down again. (in that order)
Where
Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center4500 Carbon Canyon Rd
Brea, CA
Parking
Parking is $5 unless you have a California State Parks annual pass.
Maps
Race course
View Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center in a larger map
Story
Checking out the course for the Chino Hills Trail Run Series 10-mile event.
16 years ago I ran my first “official” barefoot race, “The Road Less Traveled”. It was after finishing the 10-mile trail run on rocky trails in 1997, due to so many people expressing their curiosity about barefoot running, I was inspired to set up the original Running Barefoot website (this website) to help answer people’s questions.
Without this website, most of you folks probably still would not have heard about barefoot running. It was through the original Running Barefoot website that Barefoot Ted discovered barefoot running in 2003. And as most of you know Ted was featured in the best-selling book “Born to Run
In 1997, I ran this course (in the opposite direction) barefoot and finished in 1:11:06, despite taking it very slow and easy the first couple miles, and it was my first race of any distance, with or without shoes, in about 10 years. But, some of that speed is because this race is mostly uphill the first half, and mostly downhill the second half. It’s pretty easy for me to make up for going slow on the uphills when I run downhill. I LOVE running fast downhill! Look ma, no brakes!
I suffered absolutely NO damage to my feet or body running this 10 miles of trails at an average pace of just over 7 minutes per mile… Today, however, we completed about 6 miles, in nearly 3 hours… mostly because Herman (who is over 70 in dog years) wasn’t ready to run this far… though he did much better on the downhill, especially near the end when the trail was in the shade.
Dogs
P.S. there is a sign that prohibits dogs on the trail.
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