San Gorgonio w/ Julian, July 28, 2023

My fourth journey at San Gorgonio yesterday was as beautiful, unique, and demanding as any of the others, and it was an honor and a gift to share it with my buddy and the Beachwood brewmaster himself, Julian Shrago. 

The views, terrain, vertical gain, and spirit of the tallest mountain in southern California set it apart for me personally, an ethos that is at once serious and welcoming, striking and dangerous, a pleasure that asks much of one’s pain management skills, from garden-variety fatigue, breathing through elevation topping out over 11.5k feet, and the occasional slam, which I’ve definitely had my share of at Gorgonio.

Part of what set this particular visit apart for me was my decision to not summit and opting to listen to my body’s whispers that something was off, this side of pain, but flirting with it, and led me to prioritize fitness over committing to a peak I knew would not only be a struggle to get to, but would ensure the way back could put pain on the table, and then bite into my training block with more recovery time. 

While I got the good news recently that soreness has been the cause of my on-again-off-again semimembranosus pain, not requiring surgery doesn’t take away from the fact that this is an inhibiting factor, and I have to look at it seriously for my overall health, but especially in light of my current training block aimed at Pine to Palm 100-miler on September 9th. 

Every runner is on their own journey of finding goals that make them feel fulfilled, and the balance of where their abilities can be sharpened and supported by smart choices in training, nutrition, and gear to pursue those targets is as distinct as a fingerprint.

Experimentation and acting on lessons learned through either experience or guidance from trusted sources is key, and I was happy to side with the safe bet, especially as I write this and feel as solid as I do. 

I’m grateful to no end for the experience and training I got out of a big day at Gorgonio, I’ll be back as soon as possible, and I have to say thanks again to Julian, Beachwood, and Martin and the team at Drymax for the lovely new Karl Meltzer-signature Speedgoat socks that met all my needs on their first day out, appreciate all y’all so much! 

The weekend is off to an amazing start here and I hope the same goes for everyone else, too, stay strong and happy trails, everybody!