Book review - Under the Banner of Heaven

While I'm waiting for the results of the KS 6A Cross Country races being run at the legendary Rim Rock Farms near Lawrence, KS, I thought that I would share a review of Jon Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven. I write reviews for books on Goodreads every now and then. I rarely, if ever, share them on this blog. I thought I'd try it out. If I ever do post a review, I promise it will only be for a book I like. I don't see a lot of point in telling you about a book I don't think anyone should read - although movies are a different story (someday I'll post a list of movies I despise - watch out James Cameron, you have at least 2 on the list;-).


Under the Banner of Heaven is a very disturbing book. It is less upsetting in its coverage of the crime, around which the book is centered, than it is when discussing the founding and history of the religion to which the murderers adhered. To be fair, mainstream Mormons would certainly distinguish their beliefs from those of the Fundmentalist LDS of which Krakauer writes. Still, in looking at the founding of any religion (ie: Judaism, Christianity, or Islam), the backstory isn't usually a light-hearted walk in the park. And the founding of the Mormon religion, as Krakauer relates it, follows suit - and in some ways is much more upsetting because the events didn't occur in biblical times, but only 130-160 years ago.

The book is well-written and a gripping (if uneasy) read. It is hard to put down and stays with you once you finish it. In reading Under the Banner of Heaven, I was struck by how much I felt it reminded me (on a gut-check level) of Mao: The Unknown Story, by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. While the books cover very different subject matter, they left me with the same queasy feeling - in fact, I could not get through the Mao book as much as I wanted to do so. The creation of a religion (not just Mormonism) seems to have a lot in common with the creation of a political movement. And violence, some of it on a barely comprehensible scale, is a trait both share.

Other than being a tale of murder and a historical work, Under the Banner of Heaven has a lot to offer in the way it looks at faith and how it changes during the course of people's lives. In some cases, faith grows stronger. In others, it lessens or adapts to accommodate changes in the world around the believer. Questions around faith are not uncommon in Krakauer's works. The way one of the people living in Colorado City loses faith in the course of the book (and ultimately professes atheism), mirrors the abrupt way in which Ron Franz stops believing in God after Chris McCandless dies in Krakauer's more famous work, Into the Wild.

In the end, Under the Banner of Heaven has a lot to offer. A reader will learn a lot - some of which s/he might not want to know. But the reader will come away with a better understanding of a truly American religion, and have quite a bit to think about in terms of the limits of religious faith and how it affects our personal and public lives.

Boulder, CO. - Nice place to be.

Boulder, CO - A River Runs Through It

After pacing my buddy the last 36.5 miles in the Heartland 100 ultra-marathon a couple of weeks ago, I stopped at my house overnight, and then headed west to Boulder, CO. A book group there had selected RUN as their novel for September. They asked if I would come for the club meeting where the book would be discussed. Honestly, it was a very flattering offer (and a first for me), so I said 'yes'. It also didn't hurt that the club meets in Colorado - one of my favorite places on earth.

Even though I was still hungover (in the legs) from the Heartland, I eschewed (after much consideration) bringing my Specialized Rockhopper 29er in favor of just taking running shoes. I knew my runs weren't going to be formidable, but I wanted to make sure that while I was in a running mecca, I would be running, not biking. NOTE: I am aware that Boulder is also a biking mecca.

The book club meeting went well. It was a pleasure to spend an evening with people who read, care about books and ideas, and are enthusiastic about knowledge for knowledge's sake. Several were also runners (or parents of runners). Wine and conversation flowed. I felt privileged to have been included. 

Running also went well. Before my first run at the ridiculously hilly (mountainous?) Chautauqua Park trails, I stopped by the Boulder Running Company store downtown. I had wanted to visit that store for many years. It was a little smaller than I had imagined, but choc full of running gear, maps, and things you don't see every day - like foot scanners (to show you what inserts to purchase). I was really thrilled to be there looking around. The staff was ridiculously nice and knowledgeable.

Like any good tourist, I picked up a BRC (Boulder Running Co) shirt patterned after the Colorado state logo. I also found a pair of Tifosi transition sunglasses that have already worked well in both sunny and shaded conditions. I'm a huge fan of the brand (and have had a pair that has held up well for the past 4 years). It was great to see such a good (and reasonably-priced) selection. Tifosi also makes sunglasses with reading lenses built in. I had never seen that, and I almost sprung for a pair of those as well. But ultimately, my wallet dictated that I just pick up the transitions.

Tifosi Transitions - looking pretty light in this pic.

I got a great run in with my host, Jeanne, the next day. We knocked out a reasonable 5 miles to, and then around, a lake. My legs had begun to recover, and it felt good to be out in the thin cool air.

While in the Boulder area, I got to see an excellent eastern European art exhibit at BMoCA, drank tea at the exquisite Dushanbe Tea House (a very unique place), and did a little poking around in the lovely nearby town of Louisville, Co. as well

Finally, I have to give a plug to Native Foods. After my run at Chautauqua, I did a quick search for vegan dining in Boulder. There were a good number of choices. I opted for Native Foods. While it is a chain, Native Foods is a truly vegan chain. Whenever I have eaten at one of their stores, the food has always been fantastic. And the one in Boulder is no exception. I actually ate there twice during my stay. Even if you aren't vegetarian or vegan, if you ever get the chance to try out one of these restaurants, you won't regret it.

As I left Colorado, I felt slightly less sad than my previous departure in August. This time, I know I will return soon.

Pacing the Heartland 100

View From Ridgeline Aid Station - 36.5 miles from the finish line of the Heartland 100.

I flew back from a quick business trip to LVNV on Friday. I had caught a very early flight on the heels of a late dinner with clients - ergo I had only a couple of hours of sleep.

I dropped my business suitcase in the garage, replaced it (in the back of my Element) with a duffel bag and two grocery sacks of running gear and sports nutrition stuff (and coffee), and immediately took off for points west accompanied by my running buddy, Paul.

Paul's an interesting cat. Besides having sailed solo on many occasions in a 26 ft boat across the Pacific, Atlantic, (and much more impressively) the Southern Ocean, and having hiked (again solo) across the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp, Paul is also an ultra-marathoner.  He's the same guy I paced about a month ago over the last 25 miles of the Hawk 100 Marathon. This time, he was signed up for the (on paper at least) easier Heartland 100 race.

I had agreed to pace him from an aid station manned by my Lawrence Trail Hawk running club buddies. The station, called Ridgeline, sits exposed to the elements, atop a plateau of sorts, 36.5 miles from the finish line.

Friday night we attended the pre-race dinner and meeting in the little Flint Hills town of Cassoday. There was not much in the way of vegan food available - an oddity for (vegan-filled) ultra-races these days. I ended up eating a pasta salad and lettuce with no dressing. We stayed at a motel in Emporia that looked a bit dodgier than it actually was. We occupied the room from 8 p.m. until we left to return to Cassoday at 3:30 a.m.

Saturday at 6 a.m. Paul took off with the other runners down .4 miles of paved road. It would be the last blacktop they would see for 99.2 miles. I chilled for an hour or so in the burg's community center - a metal pre-fab building that serves the small community's needs well.

As the sun rose, I drove to the Ridgeline aid station where I helped set up the tents and lay out food for runners who would be arriving on the way out and back for the next 18 hours. I remained there the rest of the day, alternately assisting runners and resting up for my upcoming pacing stint.

At 8:30 p.m. Paul came through the station for the second time on his return trip. He was an hour and a half ahead of schedule. I was suited up and ready to go. The weather was cold with a slight breeze. We took off along the wide ridge (pictured above). It was night. If it hadn't been cloudy, there would've been a huge moon. But as it was, it was really dark.

What followed was hours spent running in what truly felt like the middle of nowhere. Open spaces were warmer but a bit windy, and valleys were still, yet 5 - 10 F cooler. This Morton's Fork (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton%27s_fork) made keeping our core temperatures consistent a maddeningly difficult effort. The shocking hardness and rough rock/gravel surface of the back country roads made running (or walking or jogging) all very difficult on joints as well as the soles of our feet. I was using my Salomon Speed Cross 3's. They performed well, but I might've benefited from a trail shoe with a sturdier (or alternately, more-padded) sole. Hokas were in use by about a third of the entrants. Still, when I finished the 36.5 miles, I had nary a blister - something almost unheard of for a distance that great. Props to Salomon.

I won't go into everything that happened over the long dark night other than to say it was probably the hardest running Paul or I had ever had experienced. While we were prepared for the race, I was operating on a dearth of sleep, and Paul was running his second 100 miler in a month. These things factored into our night in a big way.

When the sun finally rose in the morning, the soles of my feet as well as my ankles were sore, but I was in a glorious mood. The vistas over mist-filled valleys were truly spectacular. I pointed out particularly beautiful views to Paul and Gary (a runner who hung out with us from around mile 85 onward). Both though, were a little less than enamored with the scenery and more focused on what was underfoot.

The last 8 miles were possibly the hardest of the run as I kept the pace as fast as Paul could take it. I chatted, encouraged, told jokes, cajoled, and yelled to keep him moving.

With .4 miles left in the race, Paul was able to pass two runners ahead of us. I stopped to assist a runner who was in some difficulty and make sure he got to the finish in a decent time as well.

I don't really have a take home from this race. On paper it should have been easier than the Hawk 100. Yet it proved what every hundred mile race probably does - nothing that distance is ever easy, and none should be taken lightly.

Paul stated many times during the race that he did not plan to ever return to the Heartland 100. I don't doubt that he meant what he said. But races that truly challenge you sometimes get into your bloodstream. My bet is that he'll be back next year. If he is, I'll up my pacing ante, and join him for the final 50.

Road Speed v Ultra Distance - My Week of Running

Running lately has been speedier than usual. I've mainly been doing middle distances - 5-10 mile runs and focusing on speed. This switch in focus has largely been due to my road racing buddies starting to gear up for some longer races (marathons or so). But even my trail running/ultra cohorts seem to be turning up the speed.

I got in a few good outdoor road (and one very fast indoor track) workouts last week. Those runs were capped off by a quick river trails loop run on Sunday. The first couple of miles were solid. The second couple required a bit more fortitude. By the third set I was starting to feel good again. And for the fourth (+.7) set of miles, we knocked out the fastest distances of the day. Breathing was key, as was fantastic 60F weather.

Saturday I did the last 'long run' with my ultra friend who I'm pacing in the Heartland 100. We did a 9.5 mile run on the levee. We had been doing runs in preparation for this race (as well as the Hawk 100 a few weeks ago) at a really, really slow pace. Basically, the idea is to go at a pace you can hold (or sort of hold) for 100 miles. On Saturday, however, we both had forgotten or eschewed our GPS watches. So we set off at a pace that was a little quicker than normal. I'm pretty good at telling pace when I run - usually within 10-15 sec/mi. I mentioned this fact to Paul (my ultra-running friend). But since we both felt good, we continued on at the pace.

On the way back, Paul suddenly picked up speed. When I mentioned this he replied that he had changed his form and the pace felt good. Around mile 7 he increased again. We were moving around 8 min/mile - way too fast for ultra training. I yelled out the time and Paul took off at a speed that literally left me in his tracks. I was running somewhere below 7 min and was watching him get smaller as he pulled away.

After another half mile or so he stopped to stretch and I caught up. He said that it had beenso long since he had really put on speed that it felt great, for once, to do it. His last short run before the 100 miler will be on Tuesday. He didn't seem too concerned about recovery, so I'm not either.

As his pacer for the upcoming race, I had planned to run the last 25 miles with him. Logistically, however, that got moved up to 36.5 miles last week. Initially I wasn't pleased about the development. But after some time to let it absorb, I'm much more sanguine. I didn't sign up for any ultras this year, and this will, at least,be a chance to do an ultra distance without having to worry about competition. I'll only have to worry about getting Paul paced through the last 36.5 miles. It should be fun.

I'll have a report on that next weekend.