All Out Partners with SLO ALPHA to Bring You the Gran Fondo!

After a successful first year, the ladies at SLO Alpha decided to look elsewhere for their event production needs and we have officially partnered to put on the event on October 15, 2011.

What’s a Gran Fondo?

In Italian, it means “Big Ride.” It’s a great community event the brings road cyclists of all types together for rides en masse. Many Gran Fondo events feature big-name cyclists, and we hope this year will not be an exception to this.

But, in the meantime, no matter what shape or what kind of bike, think of this as a a huge, SLO “Bike Happening,” in which you and hundreds of other people who like bikes and maybe spandex ride the central coast’s most beautiful loop rides.

Starting in San Luis Obispo’s Mission Plaza, three different rides will take place in the fall:

• GranFondo – Over 100 miles on a challenging ride from San Luis Obispo up the beautiful northern coast to Piedras Blancas and back. If you are planning on doing this ride, you need to be fit. You will be accompanied by top riders from the pro circuit who will lead the way on a beautiful and equally challenging course.
• MedioFondo – This approximately 50 mile course shares the same routes as the Gran Fondo but returns after reaching the beautiful coastal town of Cayucos. This is a good ride for enthusiasts who want the chance to ride with the pros, improve upon times, and challenge themselves, their friends and teammates.
• PiccoloFondo – Just over a 25 mile loop through rolling countryside which unfolds onto the picturesque Morro Bay estuary. This is perfect for riders wanting to experience the beauty of the Central Coast but prefer to avoid the climbs and leave the challenging distance treks for the pros. Bring a friend, or maybe a bicycle built for two!

We’re also planning to have a major festival and a running event coincide with the ride, so all of you who might not be into road biking, we probably still have an awesome experience for you. More on that to come.

All of this will be directly benefiting SLO Alpha, a wonderful nonprofit that we’ll be telling you about more in the future on this blog.

www.SLOGranFondo.com

Ancient Peaks Mountain Bike Classic July 23-24

Fat tire lovers, mark your calendars now!

Santa Margarita Ranch and Ancient Peaks winery has officially approved the use of their 14,000 acres for our adventure race, but, more importantly, they’ve approved the development of some world class terrain for exclusive, event-only riding on the terrain pictured above.

Over the next few months, in between rain and mud, we’ll be developing cross country, slalom, and cross country courses worthy of drooling over. Why should you believe us? Have we ever steered you wrong?

This is a photo of the venue: beautiful trees, flat ground, and great retaining wall. Parking aplenty, and the trail system will start right from the site!

All Out is excited to bring the mountain biking community something new, exciting, and fun as hell. Stay tuned for more info. Our website is in development. You can find it at www.ancientpeaksclassic.com.

AR Camp and the Ancient Peaks Classic

It may be the off season for racing, but that’s not stopping us . . .

Stay tuned for an awesome post about our upcoming Ancient Peaks Classic mountain bike race coming this July to the Central Coast. We’ve got exclusive permission to build world-class trails on a previously untouched piece of private property!

And the big announcement, though we’re not fully ready yet:

Get ready for the Central Coast Adventure Camp (hey, it’s still CCAC!) coming to you on April 9-10! [Please note, the date has changed from initial release!]

Here’s what we have cooking:

So far we have the following instructors on board including:
Cyril from Dart Nuun
Christian Burke from Feed the Machine
Mark Manning from AR Nav
Hani Juha from Racing with Giants
More instructors coming soon!

The camp's format is still in the works, but it will most likely start with a big welcome party Friday night where we outline what's going to happen, then be broken up into two groups: a novice and more advanced group. The novice would rotate through workshops, blending classroom and practical applications. At the end of all the classes the groups would be split into race teams and participate in a mock race. If there is enough interest in doing a Paul Romero and Karen Lundgren E-Camp style thing (sadly, they’re not available), where the participants do a 24 hour race simulation with an instructor, we are down and we have a sweet course, but it really depends on people's interest. These are the topics we’re looking at offering.

• · Navigation
• Mountain bike clinics
• Transition skills
• Paddling skills (flat water, Ocean – could do rolling)
• Women’s Clinic
• Nutrition/hydration/supplementation
• First Aid and staying safe
• o Foot/body care in normal course of event

• Outfitting (what to carry, what to wear)

o Advanced gear selection (ie, building a bike, running shoes, kayaks, etc)

o Packing and carrying gear

• · Night course

o Mountain biking

o Navigation

• · Rope elements

o Ascending

o Descending

o Basic knots

o Equipment

• · Psych techniques (what to expect, how to stay positive and work as a team)

• · Solo clinic

• · Training

• · Bike mechanics

• · Team building (literally, like, forming a team, either permanently or just for the race)

• · Intro to adventure racing (history, theories, the sport)

What do you think? Feedback most welcome!

Why you should try adventure racing . . .

I happen to be one of those all-rounder athletes. Maybe not elite, but I get by and can usually make it through whatever anyone throws at me.

But I hate competitions.

Maybe you’re like me.

Or, maybe you’re not really an all-rounder athlete, but you’d like to be.

Or, maybe you’re a damn good runner or biker or something, but the heart’s going out of those races . . .

That’s at the heart of why All Out does what it does: we want you to love the outdoors, your sports, and the places we’ve been gifted with the ability to play in.

First off: you can do it. You can. If you can ride a bike, you can do it. If you can’t, well, learn! Don’t let that “can’t” get in the way of whatever it is you want to do in life.

Maybe you’ve never done a multi-sport, or maybe you’ve never done a real race. Certainly these things can be incredibly intimidating if you let them, but the fact is, it doesn’t have to be.

I did my first race/adventure race at the Adventure Sprint in May. I could mountain bike decently, I was suffering from plantar fasciitis and was worried about it being aggravating, and I am no stranger to a paddle . .  . so I decided to give it a try, asking a friend of mine who was in great shape and would be a great teammate to go along with me.

That day shall live in infamy. We took our time because it was a record-hot day and still came in respectably enough that it touched off my competitive edge (I haven’t repeated it only because my role in the race has gotten more integral) and it did something else: gave me a whole new perspective on myself.

People do sports generally for two reasons: because it just FEELS good and because it shows them that they can smash barriers. Whichever one is your drive, adventure racing does it nicely. As I finished the race, having done a course I’d never pre-run (despite my usually doing so), I had faith in the director’s ability to take care of me if something went wrong (he was, after all, my best friend), I had a partner who I knew could tolerate anything, and in the end, I did it all on my own, no complaints, and found out what I really had in me.

Not only could I do it, I could do it reasonably fast. After being off from surgeries, hanging around world class athletes, and being heavier than I’d like, it showed me something important: that my  body was worthy. That I was an adventure athlete. That I shouldn’t define myself into a box by things I haven’t done or didn’t think I could do.

And I’d say that’s a damn good reason to race.

All Out Events Releases its tentative event schedule!

We still have some thing in the works (a mountain bike race, a gran fondo, and maybe some mud runs), but below are the confirmed events!

April 9-10, 2011
Central Coast Adventure Camp

Sun April 17, 2011
San Luis Mountain Run (5k and 10k)

Fri - Sun May 13 - 15, 2011
-CARA Adventure Weekend and the Central Coast Adventure Challenge at Santa Margarita Lake.

Sun June 5, 2011
Morro Bay Olympic Distance Triathlon

Sat – Sun June 17-18, 2011
Lake Lopez Sprint Adventure Race

Sun Oct 30, 2010
Laguna Lake Mud Mash

Mud Mash 2010 Super Success!

All Out Events closed out the season this Halloween Weekend with its first annual Laguna Lake Mud Mash. 

Why read this when you could see it? Check out our video here:

The event was a huge success! We had about 400 entrants for the 5- and 10-k races. Our event staff took four full days to build the obstacles and dig the mudpit, but when all was said and done, Laguna Lake park was transformed into SLO's newest and coolest venue. Folks from as far away as Florida came out in droves, both big and small, to compete. We had everyone from age 8 to 77 in the race, and everyone finished!

A Mud Run, if you didn't know, is much like it sounds - a running course with obstacles, heavy emphasis on mud. Some mud runs are marketed as being hard core - but we know that we already do "hard core" well with our adventure races and mountain run, and this was supposed to be more fun-core. Participants showed up in full costumes, stoked about life, about the day, and eager to get on with the challenge.

The day started out with a heavy fog over the course which gave it a mysterious, beautiful air to it, but it slowly lifted to reveal the venue. Everyone was super charged up to start, cheering our announcer, eachother, and the volunteers that showed up to make it a great day. As the blast went off, they trotted out to the first obstacle, Laguna Lake itself. Giggles and shouts of amusement were the dominant sound until one of our surprises got going - we placed a bagpiper up on the top of a hill and his tunes could be heard from all over SLO! As racers made it down the mountain, they had to slop through our mudpit and then evade our vikings set to stop them to make it to the finish.

We also had a great kids' run after the races with 20+ kids really giving it a go through the mud pit and past our vikings. They were heaving pretty hard but happy to get their free goodie bags.

Lots of spectators came out to the event, too. The parking was full at Laguna Lake and our exhibitor booths really got a lot of traffic. One of the most fun aspects of the race was that rather than handing out swag in race bags, we made the racers trick-or-treat for it on course . . . sponsors that sent us product (like Nuun, Raw Revolution, and some leftover Hammer Gel) or coupons got extra exposure as our racers "earned" their samples.

Lots of kudos is pouring in, the city is thrilled with the event and has asked us to come back next year, we are getting tons of testimonials and promises to bring friends and make it a Halloween tradition, and in true All Out style, we've managed to make the Mud Run both a totally fun and organic experience.

Race results are available here: http://mudmash.com/results.html

Professional photos of the event are here: http%3A//www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=7377818&h=5f66c

All photos attached were taken by Josh Cohen of Foothill Cyclery.

Less than 24 Hours to the Mud Run

I always THINK about doing this posts, but never get around to it. Too much to do, t0o remote a location, what have you. But how sweet is it that this weekend’s event is in San Luis Obispo, our hometown, the place where our friends live, where we live, where we know the City staff by name and sight and they, us.

Yeah, pretty sweet. While the boys are out today marking the course and finishing up the obstacles for the Mud Run, I am sitting at home making loin cloths (yeah, you heard right, but I won’t tell you what for just yet) and candy bags for trick or treating and the kids’ run. I was at the fabric store today and everyone in there was planning on going and hadn’t signed up yet, even.

I enjoyed sitting in Smart and Final yesterday trying to calculate the maximum candy for the least money (per ounce, it was 17 cents), and got plenty of looks and questions:

I felt like since it was Halloween, we needed to make this into adult trick-or-treat. Buying the stuff got ME excited, that’s for sure. I miss trick-or-treating. When else do you as a kid feel cool about going door to door asking for something. It’s weird as heck, but also wonderful. Just like putting on the kinds of events we do.

I trucked it over to the site to drop off some supplies for Yishai, and there was our buddy Todd, talking to the park maintenance guy, Ken. Ken told me all about the park’s master plan and how well the Portuguese Water Dog nationals went off a few weeks ago. He admits to me that they are watching our event like a hawk – and they’re pretty nervous.

“Don’t be,” I say with full confidence: “We’ve worked with all kinds of organizations and we’re always welcome back. The place will look better than we found it.” It’s nice to say that with 100% certainty. That’s why I am involved. Not only do we do everything “all out” for the event’s most possible awesomeness, but we kill ourselves to make sure all parties involved are happy. It’s not right to use a place, trash it, and then go, “Too bad for you! See you next year!” Nah. That’s not how we roll.

When I left, Todd was rocking that little earth-mover all over the place and simply squealing over it. He took all day to build the pit. Our buddy Clint is coming by with a water truck to fill it. I’ll be over to do day of reg and packet pick up and I know the place is going to look WAY more exciting than this. That’s the part I love about my job – I do all the backend stuff, supply grabbing, working with volunteers, etc. Rarely do I help with the actual setup, so when I get to a venue we’ve been scouting for months, it’s had a magical transformation.

Anyway, cheers. This looks to be our most successful event (judging by registrations) yet. We’re out of t-shirts and day-of hasn’t started. We’ll have to do another print and then mail them out, which is a bummer, but the amount of people into this is certainly NOT.

Official Date for the Morro Bay Triathlon

Set your calendars for the most beautiful tri you’ll ever do – June 5th. This time the ride will go north on highway 1!

Pine Mountain Pulldown Wrap Up

We here at All Out Events are *still* recovering from an amazing festival and comp weekend, and it's a week later. 

Photo by Adam Kimmerly

We arrived early on Thursday to ready the festival venue and build an enormous, beautiful dyno wall for Saturday night's competition. Set next to the stage, with both prominent features decked out in sponsor graphics, event attendees couldn't help but be drawn to the wall - feeling it, trying the holds . . . and as sponsors rolled in the following day, the excitement gathered. Registrants picked up their event t-shirts and repurposed pint glasses for their liquid consumptions.

Photo by Adam Kimmerly

When the sun finally set and the Sierra Nevada kegs were tapped, everyone settled in around the stage for the West Coast premiere of the Reel Rock tour, a climbing video collection featuring some of the most cutting edge storytelling and feats available. We were honored to have the showing attended by North Face representatives and the stars of "Top Rope Tough Guys" introduced the film, making the showing that much more enjoyable.

Photo by Adam Kimmerly

Saturday morning found climbers working hard to get up classic, quality sandstone routes in with views into the Central Valley and out above the Pacific ocean. Temperatures could not have been more perfect. Many attendees dropped by our shoe sponsor vans to demo Evolv, 5.10, and Mad Rock products, and everyone had a blast. After the comp was over, attendees rolled back down to the Pine Mountain Inn, greeted by a custom burrito bar supplied by All Out and our volunteers.

Photo by Jason Refuerzo

When everyone had had their fill, it was awards time - with many locals taking top prizes, but most notably Daniel Beal of Poway, CA taking home Men's Open and overall winner, but Ian Dory, of Fort Collins, CO really left an impression by not only making a First Ascent baited by event director Yishai Horowitz and taking home booty supplied by Omega Pacific and a gift certificate from 5.10 (he named it "Brown Eyed Girl" for his lady), but for winning the most exciting dyno competition we've had at Pine Mountain yet. The evening wrapped up with a band, guest fire spinner, and a huge party rocking attendees into the night.

Photo by Adam Kimmerly

Sunday morning we had a free pancake feed and Adopt a Crag event to clean up Pine Mountain (which really doesn't need to much care, because our attendees are so contentious of their environment) and the staff broke down the event. It was a long, lonely ride home as we had to say goodbye to our friends, old and new, and return to the daily grind. Pine Mountain isn't just bouldering at a secret gem, and it isn't just a good party, it's a real community that springs up out of nowhere and just as quickly is gone . . . and everyone can't wait to come back next year. :)

Photo by Jason Refuerzo

Attached photos are courtesy of Adam Kimmerly and Jason Refuerzo. More photos and updates available on our Facebook page. Complete results are available here: http://pinemountaincomp.com/2010Results.pdf

We'd like to thank all our sponsors for prizes, great booths, and support of this amazing event. Moreover, HUGE thanks to the San Diego crew, sponsoring gyms, and Bomber Holds for making it – we wouldn’t have been the success we were without you!

Photo by Jason Refuerzo

October Ruckus Newsletter

ALL OUT EVENTS

OCTOBER 2010

Dear Yishai,
  October kicks off with the Pine Mountain Pulldown, the weather forcast is perfict for climbing, camping and the ruckus of outdoor festivities. If you havent seen the video yet click here.
To finish off the month get dirty at San Luis Obispo's first Mud Mash on Holloween.

IN THIS ISSUE

PINE MOUNTAIN PULLDOWN

MUD MASH

CLIMBING TIPS

PINE MOUNTAIN PULLDOWN (October 8-10)

Hello All-Outers - October is an awesome month to get into it before the rains come, and how, might you ask?

Hey climbers and fans of the sport: click here to check out the video we made on a recent scouting trip to Pine Mountain.

If you like that, check out our Pine Mountain Pulldown on October 8-10: we'll have the West Coast Premier of the Reel Rock tour climbing videos, an awesome comp with great prizes, dyno comp, fun, booths, and an Adopt-a-Crag clean up. You like parties? This one's for you - you don't even have to know how to climb to have a good time!

Registration is still open, so sign up now!!!

MUD MASH (October 31st) Halloween 

And for those of you looking to really do something different on Halloween, check out our newest offering: the Laguna Lake Mud Mash!

www.mudmash.com

It's a 5 and 10k running event that's more sloshing and climbing than running.

A benefit for San Luis Obispo county's Special Olympics, don't miss the trick or treating, costume contests, and get a great team together for a wild adventure in the park!

CLIMBING TIPS

Increasing Strength Through Mind Training!
by Eric Horst

Hanging on the rope with pumped forearms may be an all-too-familiar situation, especially if you are passionate about pushing your limits on the rock. And, given that your failure on the rock always seems to involve a lack of physical strength, it's easy to become obsessive about strength training. In the long-run, however, you will only be able to realize your true potential when you come to recognize and act on the many non-obvious factors that contribute to muscular fatigue and lackluster performance.

These vital performance-limiting factors include: poor economy of movement (bad technique and control), overgripping (emotional anxiety), missed holds and rests (due to inflexible thinking), and shaken confidence (due to "fearful thinking"). All these mental issues produce premature fatigue and likely drain your energy reserves by 50 percent or more. Therefore, learning to think and act more effectively could very well double (or triple!) your apparent strength on the rock.

Let's examine four areas where mental training could help you unlock a higher level of performance.

Click here to see the complete article and more great training tips from Eric Horst's Training for Climbing

Prana Posts Up about Pine Mountain

http://www.prana.com/blog/index.php/2010/10/01/third-annual-pine-mountain-pulldown-october-8-10/

Huge Shout Out to the San Diegans for Their Support of Pine Mountain Pulldown!

Pine Mountain Pulldown has always donated proceeds to the great organization, Allied Climbers of San Diego:

But they are doing such an awesome job of supporting us that we really need to take the time to give a public shout out to their efforts to promote the event and to bringing up an army to staff it, too. That’s because ACSD knows a good party when they see one.

Double shout out to Vertical Hold, also of San Diego, for teaming up with Bomber Holds to sponsor our dyno comp this year -  they’re providing ace setters and holds for us!

That’s one thing we really love about the whole industry is the networking and support everyone gives. Don’t you?

Pine Mountain Comp Promo

Hey look, we got a camcorder, and this is my first attempt at HD video production, so if it’s rough, forgive. But, the point is, Pine Mountain is awesome and you should go there. Specifically, you should go there on October 8th and not leave till the 10th. And if that’s the case, well, skip on over to www.pinemountaincomp.com

See you soon!

Death Race – We Promise to Never Do This To You

http://www.youmaydie.com/

Go watch that video. What is All Out Events about? Rather than torturing you because we can and because you crave it, we’re here to give you an epic tour of the venue, fun challenges, and wonderful elements to the race. We’ll never make you hike your bike for hours only to ride down a dirt road for five minutes, and we’ll never make you chop wood just to show you can. And we’ll never bill a race as longer or shorter than it really is.

All Out Events – we do it because we’re stoked on showing you the very best of nature that you can get to on two wheels, two feet, or with two sides of a paddle.

All Out Events introduces the Laguna Lake Mud Mash

This Halloween, All Out Events is bring its version of the ever-popular mud run to San Luis Obispo. 

Participants (otherwise known as Mud Suckers) will run, as individuals and as teams, through a 5k or 10k course winding through SLO's Laguna Lake park, sloshing through its muddy waters, climbing over obstacles, under humvees loaned by Camp San Luis Obispo, running up rarely traveled trails only to have to fight off our gladiators to pass, and finish it all off with a giant Slip-n-Slide-style hill into a mudpit.

"Halloween's a great time to have an event like this,' says race director and company owner, Yishai Horowitz. "Not only should the weather be moderate, but what a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday - bring a costume, be a kid again, and yes, we're even offering trick-or-treating!" Contestants should bring their own bags to carry on course and receive great products and candies at the obstacles as they conquer them.

The Mud Mash, as it is called, also features a Warriors' Cup for public servants such as military personnel, firefighters, and peace officers. Civilians will compete for fun alongside the warriors in an all-out splash 'n dash of Halloween fun. Proceeds will go to support SLO County's Special Olympics, which is dedicated to giving special needs' athletes the same kind of experiences that All Out Events creates for its participants.

More information can be found at www.mudmash.com.

The event starts at 9 am on 10/31/2010. Please contact Yishai Horowitz at 805 720 1245 for more information. We offer free registration for journalists intending to cover the race.

All Out Events: We Also Rig for Movies!

So here’s what we did this morning:

Yishai and I go downtown with a huge ladder, a bag full of gear, ropes, and 150 lbs of cable (well, actually, I have no idea how much, but it’s what we use to rig the tyroleans with for the adventure races). As we’re scoping the place out, hey, here comes trouble: it’s Keith, the city’s head tree guy, here to make sure we treat them nicely. We do. We alllllllways do.

So here’s Y way up in the branches doing his magic.

And here’s the actor and all the support staff giving it a test-run. He’s supposed to do the scene on the top of that railing and there’s a 40-foot drop off on the other side. Should be interesting to see how filming goes tomorrow night.

This is for indie film More than Stars, coming to a SLO Film Fest near you.

Hey, someone Yelped us!

Who knew?

http://www.yelp.com/biz/all-out-events-san-luis-obispo

Reel Rock Tour Trailer

If this doesn’t stoke you out, quit reading the blog.

But if it does, book your reservation now for Pine Mountain Pulldown – we’re showing it at the West Coast premier on Friday night. Watch an awesome film and be psyched for the bouldering on Saturday!

Pine Mountain Pulldown Partnerships – Say That Five Times Fast!

It’s a month away, and we here in SLO are getting excited! In August we went to the Outdoor Retailer summer market and met with many companies, and we were stoked about the enthusiasm everyone had for Pine Mountain!

And why wouldn’t you? The west coast’s only outdoor bouldering comp, a dyno comp, free beer, non-stop festivities, and meeting new people?

It wouldn’t be nearly as awesome without the participation of our partners. Many thanks to the following: SLO Op Climbing (who will be sponsoring our dyno wall, as usual), Sickle, Evolv, Omega Pacific, 5.10, Urban Climber, La Sportiva, Vertical Hold Climbing, Bouldering.com, Mad Rock (providing event participants with awesome reusable swag bags and official event shirts!), Prana, Clif Bar, and Bomber Holds (who will be supplying our holds for the dyno comp).

We’ll post more as more companies confirm participation. Support your climbing community by supporting the companies that support us!

Helping Christian Burke break a record and aid his kid’s school . . .

All Out Events (well, okay, Yishai & Kristin) is going down to LA to help Adventure Racing friend Christian Burke do something insane: run 24 hours in soft sand at Hermosa Beach.

I don’t even like walking in soft sand for five minutes, much less this.

What a great example of how to take a skill and use it to build community, though!

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_15859103

Climbers’ Pine Mountain Pulldown Press Release

Whatever you’re doing the weekend of October 8-10^th, cancel it. If you’re into remote locations, awesome and beautiful bouldering, meeting good peeps, watching awesome movies and dancing to live bands, get yourself to the third annual Pine Mountain Pulldown.

Situated about an hour north of Ojai and just about close to nothing lies the hidden bouldering jewel of California’s central coast. Quality sandstone routes offer plenty of variety and fun climbing for all levels – not to mention sweeping views of the surrounding valley and ocean. Set against a competition backdrop – you’re poised to do the best climbing of the year at this event with friends old and new cheering you on, getting inspired by established climbers and the up-and-coming.

But if the climbing’s not enough to get you here, how about free on-site camping at a venue filled with climbing-related companies hocking their wares and demoing their products, a free showing of the Reel Rock Tour projected onto a campy stage with a premium sound system, great eats, free beer, great swag, dyno comp, and the baddest of the bad rockabilly band on the Central Coast, the Cadillac Angels!

Stick around on Sunday and help us clean up the mountain for an Access Fund Adopt a Crag event – we do so well ever year the park service not only invites up back but allows for growth of the event by inviting more and more participants – but that number is still low: sign up now to make sure you’re able to come to this awesome event.

Feeling guilty about having such a good time? Don’t – we’re committed to making the event completely sustainable: we run on biodiesel, pack in everything we pack out, are committed to being a low-waste an event as possible, and work closely with the forest service to ensure a low footprint on the mountain during and after the event. In addition, event proceeds benefit the Allied Climbers of San Diego, a non-profit organization dedicated to climber advocacy for the San Diego area.

Entry into the competition costs $65, including camping and festival entry. Skip the competition and join the festival for $25. Day-of registration jumps to $75 for the competition and $30 for the festival. Food is available for purchase at the venue.

For additional information on the Pine Mountain Pulldown, contact All Out Events 805.541-0401 or visit www.pinemountaincomp.com.

Tech Tips from Kristin Tara McNamara, head clinician at SLO Op Climbing

Bouldering can be pretty tough on your tendons, and with the Pine Mountain Pulldown coming up, naturally you want to take extra care that you don't blow them out prior to comp time! Here's some tips on making the best of the time you have left to get in the best shape possible and have fun no matter what level you are:

• Follow a basic format of Eric Vorst's 4-3-2-1 training program:
  • Four weeks of endurance-only training while trying not to get pumped. This means laps on routes and hours put in.
  • 3 weeks of maximum power and strength (so you're working those hard problems the way you love and systematic training like training boards, weights, and complex training). 
  • 2 weeks of anaerobic exercise: think of this as climbing interval training - you are going to climb at a moderately high intensity with only brief rests between pumps. It should WORK YOU!
  • 1 week of total rest - let your body heal and watch the progress on the stone!
• Don't get intimidated by the concept of a "comp." No matter what you're doing, you're climbing, and nobody but your friends will be watching you. Comps, no matter your current level, work to push you in ways you didn't imagine - you try harder, you last longer, and when it's over you have left it all behind. You'll be sore and satisfied and had one of the best climbing days of your life! 
• Counter train! According to Dan Millman, of Way of the Peaceful Warrior, injury happens when we're not paying attention. I know you're paying attention on the rock, but are you paying attention to your body? Do you have that characteristic shoulder roll-forward? Stop that! Life is not all about pulling, and if you let those push muscles get atrophied, that's when pain's coming your way. Don't forget to do bodyweight exercises, stretch, eat well, and take care of yourself in all the other important ways.

Use these tips to show up on October 8th and have the best time possible!

California's Only Outdoor Climbing Competition & Festival Returns October 8-10, 2010

Event producer Yishai Horowitz and his company All Out Events brings their love of climbing to the community through the Pine Mountain Pulldown, a three-day festival held in Los Padres National Forest for a third year. We moved it back a month for cooler weather, and this year’s festival promises to be the West Coast’s greenest climbing event.

A combination of the unmatched views that contrast the rippling Los Padres range, high altitude pines, and ocean horizon and the quality of the climbing inspired Horowitz to put on the event. “I am just so excited to share the experience with the climbing community for a third year,” he said, “This promises to be the highest attended yet, both by festival attendees and sponsors – there’ll be plenty to see and do.”

There’s something for everyone at the Pulldown, but bouldering is the main attraction. Boulder, the scaling of smaller rock faces that usually don’t necessitate ropes for safety and requiring only a pair rubber-soled climbing shoes, is quickly becoming popular worldwide for the community atmosphere, constant challenge, and variety of locations.

Friday night will welcome climbers and vendors with an exclusive showing of the Reel Rock Tour – a collection of climbing video vignettes projected onto the stage.

On Saturday, registrants are bused up to the all-day bouldering competition set on the top of Pine Mountain; the event has many competition levels and plenty of beginner “problems” – what boulders call prescribed routes up the rock face – making it great for first-timers. In addition, big-name professional climbers and teams will be competing at the top levels, and it remains to see whether an out-of-area pro or a local, who intimately knows the mountain, takes home the top award.

Evening activities include tug-of -war, crash pad sumo (competitors strap themselves into padding used on the ground for impact protection), and a dyno competition sponsored by Ventura’s Vertical Heaven climbing gym. Dyno comps are spectacular events in which climbers, fueled with adrenaline and enthusiastic audience cheering, attempt to launch themselves ten or more feet in the air to reach a hold. We’ll finish out the evening with a live show from ever-entertaining Rockabilly masters, the Cadillac Angels.

Sunday wraps things up with a volunteer thank-you pancake feed and an Access Fund Adopt-A-Crag clean-up to remove inadvertent trash left behind and restore the area to its original state via land work and cleaning off of chalk (which climbers use to keep their hands dry) from the rocks.

Entry into the competition costs $65, including camping and festival entry. Skip the competition and join the festival for $25. Day-of registration jumps to $75 for the competition and $30 for the festival. Food is available for purchase at the venue.

For additional information on the Pine Mountain Pulldown, contact All Out Events 805.541-0401 or visit www.pinemountaincomp.com.

Photos by Adam Kimmerly – this is the general media press release

Race Reports

For CCAC's 12-hour: http://www.zdap.com/racereports/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8593

For the 24-hour: http://community.active.com/message/773318?tstart=0 (not that exciting)

ANyone know any more?

Breathe Magazine Covers our 24-Hour Race

Yeah, that definitely looks like California, eh? Cool photo, though. Here's the article.

Press release for Coast to Crest 24 hour race

It's 2 am and we're heading back to the finish/staging area to get ready to receive the first finishers in the early morning hours when one of the SPOT units sends out a "we need help" signal. No! After 18 hours of setting up transition areas, checking in with minor injuries (hamstrings are a big problem), and helping motivate our already stoked competitors, this is the first time we're genuinely worried about a team. Sure, there were some seasickies on the kayak, and a couple teams bonked on the first stage bike ride, but all in all, the race was going smoothly. The competitors were spread out far and wide but we were keeping tabs on them with GPS, radioing to our manned checkpoints, and our manifests. But at 2 am the signal goes out. We're about an hour away from the point we'd have to get to in order to start looking for the team that needs help. As we're logging into the ranger stations' computers to find the exact location and team, the help call is canceled.

And thus goes All Out Events' first 24-36 hour adventure race.

Our teams met up at Santa Margarita Lake, dropping off bins and bikes that would be trucked to the various transition areas they'd need them throughout the race, and they boarded a bus for an hour-long ride to the beach.

Winding through the coastal mountains, through eucalyptus groves, and arriving at a beautiful cove, the kayaks were laid out and our racers set to preparing themselves for one heck of a long day.

After an eight-mile open-ocean kayak (well supported by local rescue organizations and fortuitously, a blue whale), racers landed at a beach in Morro Bay where they hopped on their bikes for a long climb and a fun, fast single-track descent leading into the area's college ag land.

The run transition area was set up at Cal Poly's poultry unit, where racers could stop, take a break, and go back into the hills they came from. Said one member from Team Hilarious, hailing from Calgary, Canada, "That was the second-best mountain biking I've ever done!" Her teammates then decided to weigh the merits of whether it was more like the best or not.

Racers came in looking tired, but stoked. Some stayed for an hour, some took off right away at a jog. We didn't see them until many hours later in the dark - fifty miles away at Lopez Lake, where they picked up their kayaks for a lake trip and then their bikes for another epic tour of the mountains.

Our first team came in just under 6 a.m. - Team DART/Nuun/SportMulti, a world-class adventure racing team. Teams trickled in from there, with our last team finishing at 2 p.m. Results are posted here: http://www.ccadventure.com/results.pdf

Out of a field of 13 teams, we had 5 non-finishers. Though healthy respect goes out to all our DNFers, most especially SLO local Ryan Tarver from Hopes and Dreams, who kept up with the winning team throughout the first three stages of the race before deciding he would bow out.

Watch our 24-36 hour Coast to Crest race live!

Thanks to TrackMe360.com and SPOT rescue units, you can log into the site below and watch the fun along with us!

http://www.trackme360.com/cara/c2c

password: "slovenia"

Tips for an awesome Tri (good for adventure racers, too!)

So yesterday we went and cleared some of the poison oak the 24-hour race trek. I am not going to lie, that section is beautiful. You won't feel like you're in California. And, if you're like me, and you spent your youth exploring creek beds and rivers, you are going to feel so energized by the entire thing. If you are planning on doing this race try to time it so you go during the day. It's worth seeing.

Anyway, I follow a couple fitness blogs and had to direct you to The Fitness Nerd today, who sent me to "That's Fit" for an article with tips on tri training. Check it out: Top 10 Tips for Your First Tri.

1st Annual ECOSLO Triathlon is in the can!

The weather was perfect: clear skies, only a hint of a breeze, clear water, and temps in the low 70s. For Morro Bay, it doesn't get more perfect than that. The day before, a lot of registrants were hesitant about the swim in the bay, only to pop out after it and declare, "That wasn't so bad." By the end of the day, their comments escalated to "that was awesome!"

The first annual ECOSLO Olympic Distance triathlon generated a fair amount of money for the San Luis Obispo-based organization, which is great because many events are happy to break even their first year. We had about 200 participants and far more spectators in and out throughout the day not just because of supportive family and friends but because of the tourist-friendly location of the event. Many volunteers signed on to help the day before hailed from places like Indiana and Texas because they thought the event's venue looked cool and they wanted to do more than lay on the beach on this idyllic June Sunday.

Participants started the race, in waves of fifty, by swimming 1.5 km in a slack tide out toward the channel's entrance to the ocean, around the smiley-faced bouys and back to the shores. Water was in the low fifties and Morro Bay's harbor patrol mandated wetsuits for the swimmers, but none looked worse for wear after - more like energized! They got through the transition area, filled up on Heed and Hammer Gels and headed out on a 40 km classic local ride that took them down Highway 1, through the local community college and out into the rolling, rural hills of San Luis Obispo. Foothill Cyclery provided race aid to the cyclists and even placed volunteers in their support van. Once they were back, they headed back out again to finish the race - jogging along the famous Morro Bay beaches for 10k. The beach run took them over hardpacked sand and rocky shores to an aid station turnaround and back to the finish, greeted by the lovely ladies of FRS with recovery drinks and smiles.

Our overall winner was professional and local triathlete Van McCarty, coming in at 2:18:32. Behind him were Scott Smith (in 2:21:04) and Anthony Barton (2:24:22). Overall women winners were Christine Bare (2:42:59) followed by Kim Schollenberger (2:46:22) and Mary Kelly Dakin (2:48:40). Winners were awarded prizes by supporters Smith Sunglasses, Xterra Wetsuits, Voler, and more. All division placers were awarded an etched glass stein and a Morro Bay Triathlon bike jersey by Voler.

When it was all said and done, participants and spectators were invited back to the beer garden for some refreshing Sierra Nevada pale ale.

Overall the race went great and we're sure to be back next year! In the meantime, watch for us on June 19 & 20th when All Out Events hosts a second installment of the Central Coast Adventure Challenge: a grueling 24 hour Coast to Crest race and an accessibly fun 2-4 hour sprint!

Photos courtesy of All Out Events' Kristin McNamara and ECOSLO's Clint Slaughter.

1st Annual June 6th ECOSLO Triathlon

ECOSLO hosts inaugural Olympic Distance Triathlon on June 6th

ECOSLO, in partnership with local event company, All Out Events, hosts an Olympic Distance Triathlong on Sunday, June 6th, starting at 8 am. An Olympic Distance triathlon consists of a 1.5k swim, 40k road bike, and a 10k run. The event will take place in Morro Bay (those not interested in swimming will be offered a kayak option - something quite uncommon for most races), up highway 1 and through the rolling hills of San Luis valley, finishing with a run on the beach.

ECOSLO hopes the event will generate annual funds to continue their mission to create and support resilient, natural, healthy systems and lifestyles in San Luis Obispo. The event will be as low impact on the environment as possible, thanks to an ongoing commitment by All Out Events, and for this reason, they make an excellent pairing for the central coast in terms of support and mutual goals achieved. In addition to being a fundraiser, the event planners have taken the following steps to create as low an impact event as possible:

-No disposable cup policy (participants get reusable souvenir pint glasses)

-Our event is powered by the sun thanks to REC Solar’s solar trailer

• -In addition to garbage cans we offer recycling and composting receptacles
• -All race merchandise is organic and or locally sourced
• -All food vendors are required to use recyclable and or compostable paper and plastic-ware
• -Encouraging carpooling by holding a raffle exclusive to carpoolers

We have vendors and sponsors who will be in attendance, a beer garden, and great food provided by the Burrito Wagon and Vraja's Vegan Kitchen. Spectators and racers alike will have an amazing healthy, ecofriendly June Sunday on the central coast.

May CCAC event wrap-up

Well, we had an awesome race again this year - the weather agreed with us, the plans went as we'd hoped, and the volunteers did an amazing job with their tasks.


The Dawn to Dusk race this year saw solos Fred Watson and Kevin Cooper finish first together (they're the guys holding the FRS, which they were quite happy to partake in after the were done), but because of our rules, four-person co-ed team True Grit picked up the bonus fifteen minutes and won our race overall in 10 hours, six minutes. This year's course featured about eight miles of kayaking, 30 miles of mountain biking (most of it single track), and 10 miles of trekking, including rappelling a slot canyon and crossing the lake with a rope bridge. Finishers were treated to complimentary custom burritos and all-you-could-drink Sierra Nevada pale ale. The night ended pretty quickly for our racers, and everyone had a smile on their face, even the only DNF team who got horrifically lost - but that's the screws when the race relies on serious navigation skills!

Our sprint was fun as always, and our third place solo from Dawn to Dusk took on a partner and won this race in the two person co-ed division: congratulations to Team Synergy (Katie and Garett). The sprint consisted of a kayak leg, a bike leg, and a trekking leg. One racer was overheard to say, "What, this is an off-road triathlon!" only to finish saying, "THAT WAS AMAZING!" No surprise to us, race director Yishai Horowitz works hard no matter the length or difficulty of the course to give people a truly unique experience in venues that offer the best possible courses.

Our winners enjoyed prizes and racebag goodies from sponsors, and Hammer Nutrition had them going at aid stations, finishing out with a frosty FRS held out by the beatiful demo ladies awaiting them with finisher bottles at the end of the race.

More photos are available here: http://www.ccadventure.com/photos.html

We can't wait to see you there for our second weekend of adventure racing on June 19 & 20, and we'll be out in Morro Bay on June 6th for the inaugural ECOSLO Olympic Distance Triathlon!