<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>the Official Blog of Jeff Lambert &#187; Play &amp; Exercise</title>
	<atom:link href="http://jefflambert.com/category/play-exercise/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://jefflambert.com</link>
	<description>the one and only!</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:34:19 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=abc</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Run One: Trails Challenge 2010</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:46:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wonderful]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=803</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Started my East Bay Regional Park District's Trails Challenge 2010 season with a quick five mile run on the Alameda Creek Regional Trail in Fremont.  This is a great paved and flat trail with many access points and perfect for hikers, runners, bikers, rollerbladers and others who are looking for a very accessible paved trail.  The opposite side of the creek also has a compacted gravel trail.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_803()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_803(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-803').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_803').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_803').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_803').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/&amp;title=Run+One%3A+Trails+Challenge+2010'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/;reddit_title = Run+One%3A+Trails+Challenge+2010;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Run+One%3A+Trails+Challenge+2010;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Frun-1-trails-challenge-2010%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Frun-1-trails-challenge-2010%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Run One: Trails Challenge 2010" alt=" Run One: Trails Challenge 2010" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>Well, I&#8217;ve kicked off my start of the <a title="EBRPD Trails Challenge 2010" href="http://www.ebparks.org/node/1274" target="_blank">East Bay Regional Park District&#8217;s (EBRPD) Trails Challenge 2010</a> with a short and quick five mile run in Fremont.  The trail was actually 4.5 miles but I decided to get in at least five miles.  There is a longer route that takes you clear to the Bay and ends up being 12.3 miles.  And there also is a shorter course<span id="more-803"></span> of 2 miles.  I selected this course because I first stopped nearby at <a title="Ardenwood Historic Farm" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood" target="_blank">Ardenwood Historic Farm</a> to pick up our Trail Challenge t-shirts.  Last year&#8217;s shirts are definitely the best of the three years that I&#8217;ve participated but, hey, what do you want for free?</p>
<div id="attachment_804" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 235px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/IMG_0366.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-804" title="Alameda Creek Regional Trail - Fremont, CA" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/IMG_0366-225x300.jpg" alt="IMG 0366 225x300 Run One: Trails Challenge 2010" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Alameda Creek Regional Trail - Fremont, CA</p></div>
<p>The trail I started with is the <a title="Alameda Creek Regional Trail" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/trails/alameda_creek" target="_blank">Alameda Creek Regional Trail</a>.  They have you start at a staging area located at the end of Beard Road in Fremont, not too far off the 880 Freeway.  As I really didn&#8217;t have the time to do the 12 mile run, I pushed the five mile run at a faster pace to make it more of a speed workout.  I ended up getting the overall pace down to 7:13 min/mile.  It wasn&#8217;t too difficult as this trial is paved and flat except where you duck under freeways, roadways and train tracks.  I&#8217;d have to imagine that this trail gets pretty busy on the weekends.  I ran the trail on a Thursday in the early afternoon.  There were several bikers and just a handful of hikers.  I may have to visit again to do the longer route that takes one down to the Bay by <a title="Coyote Hills Regional Park" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/coyote_hills" target="_blank">Coyote Hills Regional Park</a>.  Also, there was just a small stream of water in the creek bed but where I passed under the 880 Freeway you could see that the water can get very high as there was debris that had gotten caught up quite high on the support posts.</p>
<p>The EBRPD Trails Challenge 2010 consists of 10 featured parks located in Fremont, Lafayette, Antioch, Livermore, Walnut Creek, Castro Valley and Richmond.  For each of these parks there are three trails of varying lengths and levels of difficulty.  The trail I ran was considered &#8220;Moderate&#8221;.  This obviously was due to the distance and not the terrain.  The other cool thing the fine folks at EBRPD have done this year is to have mapped out the trails on <a title="EBRPD Trails Challenge 2010 on Google Maps" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=h&amp;oe=UTF8&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=100166042481506327058.00046ad4abd2e75bce8b2&amp;ll=37.640335,-121.707916&amp;spn=0.516536,0.977783&amp;z=10" target="_blank">Google Maps</a>.</p>
<p>I&#8217;d definitely recommend signing up for this challenge and get out there and find some new favorite places to escape and exercise.  The trails and guidebooks from previous year challenges also are still available online, so, check those out too if you haven&#8217;t already.  A cool video about the park district also is up on their <a title="EBRPD 75 Year Informational Video" href="http://www.ebparks.org/node/1305" target="_blank">website</a>.</p>
<p>Four more trails to go, or 22 miles.  See ya out there!</p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/run-1-trails-challenge-2010/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Body Glide</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:28:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[running gear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=754</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What a Godsend I've found in Body Glide.  Being older, a bit overweight and not as tone as I was when I was a teenager, things jiggle, chafe and can become quite raw and sore.  So, I found a little help, actually a miracle product, in Body Glide.  If you haven't tried this you've really got to, you won't regret it.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_754()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_754(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-754').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_754').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_754').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_754').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/&amp;title=Body+Glide'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/;reddit_title = Body+Glide;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Body+Glide;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fbody-glide%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fbody-glide%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Body Glide" alt=" Body Glide" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>God bless this product!  Okay, this is a post where I won’t be shy.  I’m not a light person anymore and am getting older.  What does this mean?  It means I’m just shy of 195 pounds and will soon be 49 years old.  I’m also 6’ 2”, so, I’m not fat but I do have<span id="more-754"></span> excess fat and it jiggles.</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 15px 0 0 15px;"><a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000009968200&amp;pubid=21000000000236247"><img src="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplimage?lid=41000000009968200&amp;pubid=21000000000236247" border="0" alt="Join Run America Club and Save 10% plus get Free Shipping on all orders!" title="Body Glide" /></a></div>
<p>Even being relatively fit, age means the body is not as toned as when I was 18 and 153 pounds.  I’m sure there are folks that know what I mean.  I mean that if I don’t take direct precautions my nipples will get rubbed raw, sometimes to the point of bleeding.  Rather embarrassing to talk about but a hell of a lot worse to experience.  I’m being frank so that folks know exactly what I’m talking about and I can reach those that have the same issue.</p>
<p>I’ve tried different things in the past but all didn’t work or were messy.  These included mole skin, band-aids, Vaseline, bag balm and New Skin.  The most effective last resort had been pulling my shirt up over my head.  A great sight!  Well, from my vantage point but maybe not from someone whose head wasn’t attached to my shoulders.</p>
<p>One day there was a discussion on one of the running LinkedIn groups.  Someone was asking what folks do for “chafing”.  One response was that they use “Body Glide”.  Then another person mentioned the same product.  I’d never heard of this product before.  Maybe because I hadn&#8217;t been tied into the newer running products as I’m a bit old school and cheap.  Well, not anymore (the cheap part excepted)!  After my last product attempt failed I thought to take a look at this recommended product.  It definitely isn’t the least expensive thing out there but, as I’ve come to find, it does seem to be the best, and worth every penny.  Actually, it does seem to last a long time, so, the price really is not that bad.</p>
<p>Since picking up Body Glide I use it all the time.  I have yet to have a full blown issue.  In fact, only two or three times did I wonder if it was going to hang in there but it did.  It’s really quite miraculous, I use it religiously for every run, and I will never use anything else.</p>
<p>When shopping around the least expensive place I found this product was <a title="Road Runner Sports" href="http://refr.us/bztt5x" target="_blank">Road Runner Sports</a>.  I recently purchased another to make certain I don’t run out and Road Runner Sports remains the least expensive place that I could find.  The added benefit of finding Body Glide was buying it from <a title="Road Runner Sports" href="http://refr.us/bztt5x" target="_blank">Road Runner Sports</a> and finding out just how great they are as now I use them for all my running equipment needs.  Between just having good prices they also have specials running all the time and <a title="Road Runner Sports - Free Shipping" href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000028955780&amp;pubid=21000000000236247" target="_blank">Free Shipping on All Orders</a>.  I love them so much I signed up as an affiliate and recommend them to the other runners (walkers…) I know.  That&#8217;s why you see links in this post and in my sidebar.</p>
<p>So, if you have chafing, rubbing or get hot spots anywhere on your upper body, mid body or feet, then you definitely should give Body Glide a try.  You won’t regret it.</p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/body-glide/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Getting in My 20</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:59:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=716</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’ve really been trying to get in at least 20 miles of running each week.  I’ve been pretty good at it and am motivated to keep things going.  Last week I was put to the test as I didn’t get my 3 to 4 runs in and come Saturday, the last day of my run week, I only had completed 5.5 miles.  Ahhhhh!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_716()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_716(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-716').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_716').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_716').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_716').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/&amp;title=Getting+in+My+20'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/;reddit_title = Getting+in+My+20;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Getting+in+My+20;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fgetting-20%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fgetting-20%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Getting in My 20" alt=" Getting in My 20" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>I’ve really been trying to get in at least 20 miles of running each week.  I’ve been pretty good at it and am motivated to keep things going.  Last week I was put to the test as<span id="more-716"></span> I didn’t get my 3 to 4 runs in and come Saturday, the last day of my run week, I only had completed 5.5 miles.  Ahhhhh!</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 15px 0 0 15px;"><a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000009968200&amp;pubid=21000000000236247"><img src="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplimage?lid=41000000009968200&amp;pubid=21000000000236247" border="0" alt="Join Run America Club and Save 10% plus get Free Shipping on all orders!" title="Getting in My 20" /></a></div>
<p>What did I do?  Well, I decided it was time to cowboy up, so, I got onto <a title="Buckeye Outdoors" href="http://www.buckeyeoutdoors.com/cgi-bin/training/traininglog?guest=jwlambert" target="_blank">Buckeye Outdoors</a> and plotted a new run.  I knew that running to the Rowell Ranch Rodeo grounds and back was 10 miles, so, figured I’d just extend it out another 2.5 miles or so.  Well, extending the outbound leg by 3 miles took me to the end of the line where Dublin Canyon Road intersects with Foothill Boulevard in Pleasanton.  Hmm, 16 miles… am I up for this?  I don’t think I’ve run 16 miles since I was training for a marathon about 16 years ago.  I knew I could do 13 as I pushed through a very hilly 13 with my good friend Anthony when he was visiting from Houston.  What the heck, tally ho!</p>
<p>Well, it had rained a great deal all week, so, I was quite happy when I saw a lot of beautiful, blue sky as I set out.  Things went pretty well for about four miles, at which point my body revolted with my lower intestines upping the ante.  After another mile or so I knew I’d need a stop somewhere before my 16 miles was completed and probably a lot sooner.  It dawned on me that there were a couple of hotels at the middle mark, so, I carried on and did my best to distract myself by focusing on the other pains.  Okay, I was otherwise feeling fine but did do my best to not focus on the potential impending doom.  Might I just say that the Marriot Hotel in Pleasanton has lovely accommodations?  Well, they do, and I’ll certainly keep them in mind anytime I’m in the area and need a pit stop.</p>
<p>The run was much more enjoyable, even after turning around and climbing back up Dublin grade.  However, when I passed back by the rodeo grounds it did start to rain.  This was at about 11 miles into the run.  Fortunately, it was a fairly light rain, but steady.  Think it all but stopped about one and a half miles later.  Didn’t really matter to me as by that time my thighs were feeling depleted.  The last couple of miles were making me wonder why I had done this.  The last mile is pretty much all up hill and not something I was looking forward to.  Needless to say, my pace at this point wasn’t my usual but I did persist and was truly happy to reach home.</p>
<p>Yay!  I got my 20 miles in and was astonished that my pace was 8:40 per mile.  And I got to try my new purchase, <strong>The Stick</strong>.  I don’t know if it was this little tool or not, think it was, but I was able to roll out my muscles and I didn’t get any debilitating muscle aches in the days that followed.  You know, those stiff muscles that make you go locked knee when you walk?  It actually was quite the opposite as the next day I did a fairly quick 5 miles followed the day after that with 7.75 miles.  Thought I&#8217;d need a break.  Not to say I shouldn&#8217;t have taken one.</p>
<p>Run on!</p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/getting-20/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:38:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[back pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=668</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With this 10 mile run on a cold day in the Bay Area I hit the $50 contribution level on plus3networks.com.  It was a good run.  Watched my breath as I exhaled, once the wind was at my back, and saw a winter robin that won't be around for spring.  A little rain to keep me even cooler and then return home, log my run and get $1.80 contributed to The Leukemia &#038; Lymphoma Society as well as push up to 20th place in the 2010 1,000 mile challenge on buckeyeoutdoors.com.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_668()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_668(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-668').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_668').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_668').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_668').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/&amp;title=Hit+%2450+Worth+of+Donations+on+Plus3Network'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/;reddit_title = Hit+%2450+Worth+of+Donations+on+Plus3Network;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Hit+%2450+Worth+of+Donations+on+Plus3Network;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fhit-50-worth-donations-plus3network%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fhit-50-worth-donations-plus3network%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network" alt=" Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>Yesterday I was looking at my <a title="Plus3Network.com" href="http://www.plus3network.com" target="_blank">Plus3Network</a> donations and saw that I could hit $50 if I did a 10 mile run.  I had planned on only doing 7.5 miles but this motivated me to do the little bit extra.  So, not only was I motivated to push myself a bit more but, on my behalf, a firm rewarded<span id="more-668"></span> a non-profit organization with a donation based upon my effort.  I only had to spend a minute or two to log the run.  If you haven&#8217;t checked out this site yet you should.  You can get credit for most activities as you can see from the list below.</p>
<div id="attachment_669" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 319px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/plus3network_50_bucks.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-669" title="Plus3Networks" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/plus3network_50_bucks.png" alt="plus3network 50 bucks Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network" width="309" height="280" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Activities Leading to $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Networks</p></div>
<p>As I was getting ready to head out for my run I checked the thermometer.  A balmy 50 degrees.  Not real warm for me, so, I dawned my thin beanie to keep my ears warm and pulled on the arm sleeves that I had initially picked up for biking.  I still haven&#8217;t picked up any thin gloves and was quite aware of this when I headed out.  Just before hitting the roadI heard the distinctive pitter-patter of rain drops.  Fortunately, it appeared to be a stray rain cloud and passed by the time I headed out.  A couple of bottles of water fastened to my <a title="Amphipod Hydration System" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/" target="_self">Amphipod</a>, my iPod playlist dialed in, my Garmin Edge 405 locked on some satellites and I pushed the [Start] button and headed out.</p>
<p>My 10 mile run is basically an out-and-back run that is mainly on roads.  I start by picking up the <a title="Bay Aread Ridge Trail Map" href="http://www.ridgetrail.org/trail/map.cfm" target="_blank" class="broken_link">Bay Area Ridge Trail</a> for about .25 mile to the main road into our development.  Three-quarters of a mile later and I&#8217;m heading out to the Rowell Ranch Rodeo grounds on the primary artery through Castro Valley.  When I hit the main gate I&#8217;ll be exactly five miles out and ready to turn back and head home.  There was quite a stiff breeze pushing into me on the outbound leg.  Every one-in-awhile there would be something blocking it just long enough to see the water vapor from my exhales.  When I was about half a mile from the rodeo grounds the sky opened up.  Not a downpour but heavy, large raindrops.  I pushed the iPod to my back to keep the rain off of it, ducked my head and pushed on.  A short time after turning around and heading back the rain let up, or I caught back up with the edge of the rain cloud.  All-in-all I didn&#8217;t get too wet and my electronics fared well.</p>
<div id="attachment_674" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 235px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/dog_skeleton_fire_hydrant.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-674" title="Dog Skeleton Next to Fire Hydrant" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/dog_skeleton_fire_hydrant-225x300.jpg" alt="dog skeleton fire hydrant 225x300 Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Dog Skeleton Next to Fire Hydrant</p></div>
<p>I&#8217;m thinking I should start keeping a log of road kills.  Is that disturbing?  Today&#8217;s tally was one poor little robin that was truly flat.  I really should have taken a pause to get a photo as it was interesting how I could easily make out what it was even though it was flatter than a pancake.  The other road kill was a skunk.  Okay, the skunk had been picked up off the parkway but the stink remained.  I had seen the unfortunate soul earlier in the day when I took Harrison to school, so, I knew it wasn&#8217;t an errant release of perfume.  On other runs I&#8217;ve seen pretty much the range of critters in the area from cats to raccoons to dogs.  I&#8217;ve seen opossum while driving but don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve seen any while running.  Outside of skunks, the smelliest thing, which I didn&#8217;t initially see but certainly smelt, was a deer; quite nasty.  I think the most interesting, unfortunate victim was what appeared to be a dog.  What was interesting was that it hadn&#8217;t been picked up and, as such, had fully decomposed down to the bones.  The skeleton was laid out rather perfectly.  I know puppy death isn&#8217;t funny but the fact that this dog&#8217;s skeleton was juxtaposed next to a fire hydrant made it quite difficult not to laugh.</p>
<div id="attachment_670" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 334px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/buckeye_20th_in_1000mile_challenge.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-670 " title="Buckeye Outdoors 1000 Mile Challenge" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/buckeye_20th_in_1000mile_challenge.png" alt="buckeye 20th in 1000mile challenge Hit $50 Worth of Donations on Plus3Network" width="324" height="218" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">BuckeyeOutdoors.com 1,000 Mile Challenge</p></div>
<p>The other thing I took on today was signing on for a 2010, 1,000 mile challenge on <a title="Buckeye Outdoors Website" href="BuckeyeOutdoors" target="_blank" class="broken_link">BuckeyeOutdoors.com</a>.  If I am good about getting in my 20 miles of running per week I can pull this off.  As of right now I&#8217;m about 20th out of 134 folks who have signed up.  You can get a quick look at my weekly mileage and notes over in the sidebar of this site.</p>
<p>So, other than my body being a bit tired from the running my knees are good and my hip doesn&#8217;t seem to get sore much anymore.  The worse thing is that my lower back has started bothering me again and doesn&#8217;t seem to be letting up.  I&#8217;ve actually got my <a title="Height Adjustable Desk" href="http://jefflambert.com/reviews/height-adjustable-desk/" target="_self">desk in the standing position</a> as I write this hoping that this might help.  So far it isn&#8217;t and I&#8217;ll likely shift to sitting pretty soon&#8230; after I grab some Advil.</p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/hit-50-worth-donations-plus3network/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Running Hydration System</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:14:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hydration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[running gear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Staying hydrated during a run or hike is important as it will keep your body's metabolism working at it's peak and prevent fatigue based injuries and/or activity related illnesses.  The Amphipod RunLite system is a great way to transport water and sports drinks.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_512()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_512(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-512').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_512').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_512').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_512').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/&amp;title=Running+Hydration+System'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/;reddit_title = Running+Hydration+System;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Running+Hydration+System;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Frunning-hydration-system%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Frunning-hydration-system%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Running Hydration System" alt=" Running Hydration System" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>For the past year or so I&#8217;ve been a lot better about staying hydrated when I run.  I didn&#8217;t use to as I figured it wasn&#8217;t a big deal as I&#8217;d only be out running for an hour or so.  Then I started upping the mileage, doing regular 10 mile runs.  I quickly learned proper hydration will<span id="more-512"></span> keep me going stronger, which should result in fewer fatigue-based injuries as I maintain a better running form and am less apt to stumble&#8230;.  I also realized that I always carry liquids with me when I bike, so why shouldn&#8217;t I when I run?</p>
<p>The thought of having to lug water or other liquids during a run was really what put me in the mindset of figuring I could just re-hydrate when I got home or at a drinking fountain if I happened by one (not something I usually find along a trail).  I had looked around a bit before but didn&#8217;t want a bottle with a hand strap that I would carry and the thought of a hydration backpack wasn&#8217;t a fond one.  Then, one day when I was in a running store looking for some new shoes, I looked around a bit more and also asked a store employee for his thoughts.  He showed me the <a title="Amphipod System" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PA4V8A?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=ji0a8-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002PA4V8A" target="_blank">Amphipod RunLite 4</a> system.  I bought it, LOVE it, use it all the time and wouldn&#8217;t think of trying anything else.</p>
<p>The cool thing with this system is that you can tailor it for yourself and your running style.  It comes with a small pouch that I carry my iPhone in along with a copy of my Driver&#8217;s License, 10 bucks, a doggy poop bag and, on rare occasions, power gels or similar energy foods.  While writing this post I was looking a little closer and found that there is another small sleeve under the velcro closure tab, perfect for a key.  That&#8217;s the beauty of writing a post, you often learn a little bit more.</p>
<p>The bottles that come with the RunLite 4 are 8oz each.  They are easy to fill, have no BPA, can be situated in different positions and are easy to access while running.  The only thing I&#8217;ve encountered a couple of times is the bottle falling off if I&#8217;m not careful to ensure I hear/feel it click back into place.  Having four separate bottles is great as you can distribute the weight and, for those shorter runs, leave a couple at home.  I often just run with two bottles and position the pouch toward the front so that my iPhone headset cable tracks better.  The other benefit is you can mix and match your beverages, maybe carrying three waters and one power drink.  You could potentially even store dry items in the bottles as they have a wide cap.</p>
<p>So, keep the energy up while running and stay hydrated.  Hydration is important for proper body functioning and will make the joy of running that much more wonderful.  The Amphipod website is <a title="Amphipod Website" href="http://www.amphipod.com" target="_blank">http://www.amphipod.com</a>.</p>

<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/running-hydration-system/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Plus 3 Network &#8211; You Exercise&#8230; They Donate</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:40:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=478</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Logging your training or other activities on the Plus Three Network will result in its being converted into charitable donations to a selected worthy Cause.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_478()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_478(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-478').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_478').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_478').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_478').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/&amp;title=Plus+3+Network+-+You+Exercise...+They+Donate'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/;reddit_title = Plus+3+Network+-+You+Exercise...+They+Donate;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Plus+3+Network+-+You+Exercise...+They+Donate;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fplus-3-network-exercise-donate%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Fplus-3-network-exercise-donate%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Plus 3 Network   You Exercise... They Donate" alt=" Plus 3 Network   You Exercise... They Donate" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>Alright, I know I keep stumbling across sites that allow you to manage your training logs.  There are quite a few out there and more arriving all the time.  Today, I learned of yet another site (thanks Paul), <a title="Plus 3 Network" href="http://www.plus3network.com/" target="_blank">+3 Network</a>, that works quite well at logging your training.  The twist with this site is that your activities are converted into charitable donations.  That&#8217;s right!<span id="more-478"></span></p>
<p>The way it works is you select a Cause and a Sponsor pairing when you sign up.  Then, when you go for a run, or a bike ride, or a hike&#8230; your mileage is converted to a monetary value that the Sponsor then donates to the matching Cause.  I signed up for the <a title="Leukemia Team-in-Training" href="http://www.teamintraining.org/" target="_blank">Leukemia Team-in-Training</a> Cause and uploaded tracks from my Garmin Edge 305.  This was easy.  I was then able to process 19 of the 108 activities that uploaded, noting what type of activity I performed and also give it a name, description and tag it.  I wasn&#8217;t able to add more than 19 after my initial sync, and a subsequent sync appeared to be loading the remaining activities but those I could add when the sync finished were the same set I already had added.  Could be that the limit is the last 20 or so runs.  Seems reasonable to me.</p>
<p>The feature set on this site is not very extensive but what they do have has been well implemented.  The user profile could be extended a bit to allow specifying your FaceBook, Twitter, blog, LinkedIn or other socially networks.  The activity listing also is a bit lacking in navigating from page-to-page.  One thing you will note, is that the word &#8220;beta&#8221; appears in the header, so, one can only assume that more is yet to come.  There also is a forum where you can leave suggestions, amongst other topic comments.  The best feature is that one can spend a few minutes recording an activity that will result in a donation going to a worthy cause.  The result of my logging the 19 activities was the donation of $17.39 to the Leukemia Team-in-Training cause.</p>
<div id="attachment_481" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 260px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Plus3NetworkActivityListingPage.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-481 " title="+3 Network Activity Listing Page" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Plus3NetworkActivityListingPage-300x275.png" alt="+3 Network Activity Listing Page" width="250" height="275" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">+3 Network Activity Listing Page</p></div>
<div id="attachment_482" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 260px"><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Plus3NetworkActivityDetailPage1.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-482 " title="+3 Network Activity Detail Page" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Plus3NetworkActivityDetailPage1-300x228.png" alt="+3 Network Activity Detail Page" width="250" height="228" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">+3 Network Activity Detail Page</p></div>
<p>Happy running (biking, swimming, walking&#8230;)!</p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/plus-3-network-exercise-donate/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trails Challenge 2009 &#8211; Regional Parks Foundation &#8211; Day Three</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:29:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=371</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Regional Parks Foundation Trail Challenge 2009 is a great way to see some great parks that one might otherwise not learn about.  The last trail run of the Challenge will take me up to Brushy Peak in Livermore, California.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_371()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_371(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-371').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_371').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_371').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_371').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/&amp;title=Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Three'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/;reddit_title = Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Three;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Three;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Ftrails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Ftrails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Trails Challenge 2009   Regional Parks Foundation   Day Three" alt=" Trails Challenge 2009   Regional Parks Foundation   Day Three" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>Didn&#8217;t I say I was going to take Sunday off?  Well, I woke up and didn&#8217;t feel bad.  I actually felt quite good.  Looking out the window it appeared to be a great day to run as it was totally foggy.  Saturday night I had looked over the Trails Challenge trail list to see what trail I would make number five.  The first I looked at was<span id="more-371"></span> a run from <a title="Ardenwood Historic Farm" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood" target="_blank">Ardenwood Historic Farms</a> in Fremont over to <a title="Coyote Hills Regional Park" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/coyote_hills" target="_blank">Coyote Hills Regional Park</a>.  After mapping the route on <a title="Buckeye Outdoors" href="http://www.buckeyeoutdoors.com" target="_blank">BuckeyeOutdoors</a> I found that the route was really 8.3 miles as opposed to the 6.4 miles.  As far as I could tell, the route on the list didn&#8217;t take you all the way back to the start.  Most of the route also is on pavement and I prefer to run on trails when I can as it is not as harsh on my old joints and I like getting away from suburbia.  These two parks, however, are really nice.  Ardenwood is a pretty authentic historic farm and often has activities going on.  If you&#8217;ve never been there I would highly recommend it.  Coyote Hills Regional Park I remember most as being the place, about 20 years ago, where I would go to fly RC gliders.  It has a lot of paths and, I think, a good place for a family bike ride, though, some of the trails are on rolling hillsides.</p>
<p>In looking at the list some more I found a 4.2 mile trail route in the <a title="Brushy Peak Regional Preserve" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/brushy_peak" target="_blank">Brushy Peak Regional Preserve</a> that would fit the bill.  The trail, which heads up to just below Brushy Peak in Livermore, was listed as Moderate.  Sounds like that&#8217;s probably accurate.  I&#8217;ve flown over this peak a lot as it is a landmark when contacting Livermore Tower for landing clearance if you are heading in from the East.  It&#8217;s also a fantastic landmark when heading back from the Sierra Foothills, or other areas of the Central Valley, as you can see it from well over 65 miles out.  Rarely do I need to use the aircraft&#8217;s navigation aids when I&#8217;m flying back from places like Columbia or Calaveras because I can make out the distinct shape of Brushy Peak.  According to the park map, the peak is only 1,702 feet ASL but it really stands out and makes it easy to get back to <a title="KLVK - Livermore Muni Airport" href="http://airnav.com/airport/KLVK" target="_blank">Livermore airport</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BrushyPeakSteepSection.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-383 alignright" style="margin: 10px;" title="Brushy Peak Steep Climb" src="http://jefflambert.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BrushyPeakSteepSection.png" alt="Brushy Peak Steep Climb" width="129" height="87" /></a>According to my <a style="&quot;border:none" title="Garmin Edge 305" href="&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BKJZ96?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=ji0a8-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B000BKJZ96&quot;&gt;Garmin Edge 305 Bicycle GPS Navigator with Speed/Cadence Sensor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;img src=" target="_blank" class="broken_link">Garmin Edge 305</a>, the staging area where the trail starts is about 600 feet ASL.  The top of the route reaches just about 1,400 feet ASL, about 300 feet below the peak.  The Garmin had the total ascent for the route at 1,000 feet.  The climbing wasn&#8217;t too bad since I&#8217;m used to always running hills but what truly killed me was heading back down after cresting between Brushy Peak and the lower peak to the south.  It looked like it would just keep gradually descending but, come to find out, with about a mile left the route had you take a sharp right turn onto another trail that had me climbing VERY steeply 200 feet up in .2 miles.  It was all I could do not to stop but I just pushed through it, knowing I would soon be back to the start.</p>
<p>The Brushy Peak trail, like that at <a title="Roberts Regional Recreation Area" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts" target="_blank">Roberts Regional Recreation Area</a>, was very well marked and I had no problem following the instructions.  The view of the Livermore Valley from near the top of the trail was truly spectacular.  I also enjoyed hearing the windmills grinding away as I passed down the hill below them.  In the saddle between the two peaks are a lot of sandstone formations and oak trees.  It&#8217;s noted in the Trail Challenge guide that what looks like brush on the top of the peak, and hence the naming of the hill, is actually oak trees.  I can confirm this.  It truly lovely and I will definitely need to revisit the park with my family and a camera.</p>
<p>Finishing the Brushy Peak trail got me to the required five trails on the list of 20, so, I filled out the Trail Log and sent off for my 75th anniversary completion pin.  I look forward to getting it and just wished I had completed the challenge last year.  Remember, if I can knock out all five trails in three days then anyone should be able to do this in the many months that the Challenge runs.</p>
<p>For those who love the out of doors and haven&#8217;t taken advantage of the wonderful resources that our public agencies have to offer, you really need to check out the many East Bay Regional Park District facilities.  They are, without a doubt, some of the best parks I&#8217;ve ever visited and are well maintained and very accessible.  In its two-county jurisdiction, the <a title="East Bay Regional Parks District" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood" target="_blank">Park District</a> operates 65 parks, covering over 98,000 acres with more than 1,150 miles of trails.  That&#8217;s more than I was even aware of.  I&#8217;d also suggest pushing further from home and checking out the parks that you might not think to visit because they aren&#8217;t in one of your local communities.  Some, like <a title="Black Diamond Mines" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond" target="_blank">Black Diamond Mines</a>, also have wonderful tours and a lot of history.  Some also are closed to the general public and only accessible via tours, like the <a title="Vasco Caves Regional Preserve" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/vasco" target="_blank">Vasco Caves Regional Preserve</a>, a tour I would highly recommend.</p>
<p>So, get out there and enjoy the East Bay Regional Park District parks.  If you start now you probably could complete the 2009 Trail Challenge by the end of November.  Even if you can&#8217;t, it is definitely worth a try just to become familiar with all that is available.</p>
<p>Hope to see you on the trails!</p>
<p><a title="2009 Trail Challenge - Day One" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-1/" target="_self">2009 Trail Challenge &#8211; Day 1</a><br />
<a title="2009 Trail Challenge - Day Two" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/" target="_self">2009 Trail Challenge &#8211; Day 2</a></p>
<p><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&#038;bc1=000000&#038;IS2=1&#038;bg1=FBA95F&#038;fc1=000000&#038;lc1=0000FF&#038;t=ji0a8-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=8&#038;l=as1&#038;m=amazon&#038;f=ifr&#038;asins=0899974538" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trails Challenge 2009 &#8211; Regional Parks Foundation &#8211; Day Two</title>
		<link>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/</link>
		<comments>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:08:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeff Lambert</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Play & Exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exercise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jefflambert.com/?p=354</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Regional Parks Foundation Trail Challenge 2009 is a great way to see some great parks that one might otherwise not learn about.  Today I went totally psycho and ran on three trails.  One at Lake Chabot Regional Park, another at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area and the final at Sycamore Valley Regional Open Space Preserve.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function($) { window.setTimeout('loadFBShareMe_354()',5000); });</script><script type="text/javascript"> function loadFBShareMe_354(){ jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.dd-fbshareme-354').remove();$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_354').attr('width','53');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_354').attr('height','69');$('.DD_FBSHAREME_AJAX_354').attr('src','http://widgets.fbshare.me/files/fbshare.php?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/&size=large');  }); }</script><div class='dd_post_share dd_post_share_right'><div class='dd_buttons'><div class='dd_button'><script src='http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js' type='text/javascript'></script><a class='DiggThisButton DiggMedium' href='http://digg.com/submit?url=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/&amp;title=Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Two'></a></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>reddit_url = http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/;reddit_title = Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Two;reddit_newwindow='1';</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://www.reddit.com/static/button/button2.js'></script></div><div class='dd_button'><script type='text/javascript'>yahooBuzzArticleHeadline=Trails+Challenge+2009+-+Regional+Parks+Foundation+-+Day+Two;yahooBuzzArticleId=http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/;</script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js' badgetype='square'></script></div></div></div><div class="tweetmeme_button" style="float: right; margin: 3px 0 0 3px;">
			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Ftrails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjefflambert.com%2Fplay-exercise%2Ftrails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2%2F&amp;source=jwlambert&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" title="Trails Challenge 2009   Regional Parks Foundation   Day Two" alt=" Trails Challenge 2009   Regional Parks Foundation   Day Two" /><br />
			</a>
		</div>
<p>So, I decided after <a title="Trails Challenge 2009 - Day One" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-1/" target="_self">yesterday&#8217;s great run</a> on the wonderful trails meandering through <a title="Roberts Regional Recreation Area" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts" target="_blank">Roberts Regional Recreation Area</a> and <a title="Redwood Regional Park" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood" target="_blank">Redwood Regional Park</a> that I needed to keep things going and try and knock out another of the Trail Challenge trails.  Back to the list of 20 trails and I decided<span id="more-354"></span> that, heck, maybe I could knock out two on the same day.  My plan was to do the trail up at <a title="Lake Chabot" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/lake_chabot" target="_blank">Lake Chabot Regional Park</a> while the family was trying to free themselves from their dreams.  The trail is listed as an easy 2.04 mile route.  I should be able to knock that out pretty quick.</p>
<p>Okay, trail one is selected.  Now, what trail for number two of the day?  Looking at the list again I saw that there was a 2.85 mile route at <a title="Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow_cliffs" target="_blank">Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area</a> in Pleasanton.  I decided I could drop the kids off to do some shopping for their mother&#8217;s birthday while I went and ran this trail.  They were up for it.  The trail is rated as Easy, likely due to the short distance and the fact that it is relatively flat.</p>
<p>The trail at Lake Chabot started up at the Nike Classroom located in the parking lot across from the Regional Parks Police / Fire Headquarters.  It essentially is a loop that that starts on Ten Hills trail to Cameron Loop trail.  The trail passes by the Willow Park golf course at its lowest point and follows a small creek back up to Ten Hills trail and to the start.  It really doesn&#8217;t quite reach the lake but gets pretty close.  The last turn before heading back up to the start is right where the paved trail from the Marina ends.  I think this course is ranked as Easy due to the length.  It wasn&#8217;t too bad but most of the trail is not flat.  My Garmin put the actual length at just under 2.5 miles with a total ascent of 375 feet.  If you aren&#8217;t a hill lover you&#8217;ll like the fact that the direction they send you on did put the steeper sections on the downhills.  I knocked this run out in 20 minutes and headed home.  If you haven&#8217;t been to Lake Chabot, it&#8217;s a great place to go hiking, biking, fishing or take out a boat.  The only thing missing is a swimming area.</p>
<p>Got home and had breakfast.  While I was waiting for Harrison and Madison to finish up some things and head off shopping I decided to see what the next run could be and found an Easy 2.2 mile route in Danville at the <a title="Sycamore Valley Regional Open Space Preserve" href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sycamore" target="_blank">Sycamore Valley Regional Open Space Preserve</a>.  As I started to think about it I thought, &#8220;Heck, why not do three runs today?&#8221;  This third run was pretty short and I figured the kids could walk for awhile and turn around and head back.  This should get us all to the start about the same time.  I was going to play it by ear but brought the route with me just in case.</p>
<p>I dropped the kids off at a shopping area with a Bed, Bath and Beyond, a Barnes &amp; Noble and a Best Buy.  This should allow them some time to just mess around as well as shop for their Mom.  I headed out to Shadow Cliffs.  As I&#8217;m always trying to save money I had checked Google Maps and found that there was a park access road on the back half of the course and I could still cover the whole trail by just coming into it at a different location.  So, that&#8217;s what I did and my plan worked fine.  What didn&#8217;t work so well was my reading of the map along with the lack of any trail markers.  The first turn that was to take me along the edge a very large pond turned out to be too agressive an approach to the water.  What I couldn&#8217;t see, because of the vegetation, was that the pond had an irregular shape and I actually had water off in the direction I was trying to go.  In back tracking I found the correct route and continued on my way.  More of time lost that much extra distance.</p>
<p>The next bad move was not making the turn down away from the lake onto the North Arroyo trail.  Instead, I ended up running to the end of the Levee trail.  I turned back, studied the map closer, and found where I had gone wrong.  This resulted in adding a fair amount of extra mileage to the run.  When I got back to the truck my 2.85 mile run had turned into 4.2 miles.  The course actually had more of an ascent than I had figured too.  Over the 4 miles the climbing amounted to about 300 feet.  More than I would have figured but still pretty flat.  Given the extra mileage the run took longer than expected, 40 minutes.  I texted the kids that I was on my way back to pick them up and headed out.  As for the trails on this run, most were just okay, nothing special.  The sections that ran along the &#8220;Arroyo Del Valle&#8221; pond, however, would be worth coming back and exploring while walking and with a camera.  There seemed to be a lot of water birds hanging out, even with the handful of dogs that were jumping in and swimming about.  I also saw some off-season duck hunters carrying some training floats while being trailed by some dripping wet labs.  As for the park itself, it&#8217;s a great place.  There are water slides and other activities include boating, fishing, swimming and picnic areas.  They also have some good starter triathalons held here.  I had done a short one many years ago.</p>
<p>After picking up the kids I mentioned to them that I wanted to do a third run.  They were okay with this but hadn&#8217;t found the main gift they were looking for, so, we made a stop at another store where they did find the gift, a wok.  We then headed off to Danville.  In looking at the time I figured we wouldn&#8217;t get home until about 5:30pm.  Harrison and Madison had friends scheduled to come by at 5pm, so, they called them and asked them to come at 5:30pm.  Once we got to the park I told them to walk for 15 minutes and then turn around and head back.  I figured as tired as I was, and knowing there was some climbing on this &#8220;Easy&#8221; route that I&#8217;d be going a bit slow.  The trail was an out-and-back and I did, in fact, end up hitting the end of the trail right around 15 minutes, so, looked like my timing would be perfect.</p>
<p>Well, my timing would have been pretty close but as I was coming down the later part of the trail I heard some crazy kids yelling off to my left.  In looking up the hillside I found Harrison and Madison running down the hill, off trail (naughty, naughty).  I yelled that I&#8217;d see them back at the truck and for Harrison not to leave his sister behind.  I now figured I would have time to stretch a bit and cool down before the kids got back.  Well, guess I inspired them as they both ran back to the truck.  As for this trail, well, I don&#8217;t think I would ever hike it but could see having it as a short, quick running trail if I lived nearby.  While you don&#8217;t see as much while running, there really didn&#8217;t look to be much to see here as compared to some of the other wonderful hikes in the East Bay Regional Parks District.  The best feature on this trail was a huge tree that must have fallen years before.  It must have been gigantic.  As for the park, it looked like a great place to picnic and play.  There were quite a number of soccer players there when we arrived but most had headed out by the time we got back.  The run took me just under 30 minutes and ended up being 2.5 miles with almost 550 feet of climbing.  Quite a bit of decent climbing for a short run.</p>
<p>So, the end of the day got me through trail 4 of the 5 needed to complete the Challenge.  I logged a total of 8.95 miles with about 1250 feet of climbing.  More mileage than I&#8217;ve done in one day in quite awhile and this coming off the 7 mile run from the day before.  My knees were aching when we finally got home, at 5:35pm!</p>
<p>So, while my plans seemed to blossom from my original thoughts for the day, and even more from the day before, I was happy to have pushed myself through another three trails and enjoyed the &#8220;Challenge&#8221;.  One more trail to do but don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ll do it tomorrow given how tired I am after two pretty high mileage (for me) days.</p>
<p><a title="2009 Trail Challenge - Day One" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-1/" target="_self">2009 Trail Challenge &#8211; Day 1</a><br />
<a title="2009 Trail Challenge - Day Two" href="http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-3/" target="_self">2009 Trail Challenge &#8211; Day 3</a></p>
<p><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&#038;bc1=000000&#038;IS2=1&#038;bg1=FBA95F&#038;fc1=000000&#038;lc1=0000FF&#038;t=ji0a8-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=8&#038;l=as1&#038;m=amazon&#038;f=ifr&#038;asins=0899974538" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<!-- Social Buttons Shared Counts Generated by Digg Digg plugin v4.0.6, 
    Author : Yong Mook Kim
    Website : http://www.mkyong.com/blog/digg-digg-wordpress-plugin/ -->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://jefflambert.com/play-exercise/trails-challenge-2009-regional-parks-foundation-day-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

<!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: http://www.w3-edge.com/wordpress-plugins/

Minified using disk
Page Caching using disk (enhanced) (user agent is rejected)

Served from: jefflambert.com @ 2010-09-07 02:47:56 -->