Packing Heat...and Ultrarunning

The Ultralist (a daily news group or user group by, about, and for the sport of Ultrarunning) is cyclical in nature regarding the topics discussed, as successive waves of Ultrarunner members come and go.

One thread that repeats at frequnet intervals is that of self-defense along the trail, specifically on whether to carry a weapon--read gun--while running.  While that need doesn't resonate with me, I kinda understand the desire to feel safe, protected, and self-sufficient.  I just think that on balance, packing heat is more likely to have unintended negative consequences than to save the day.

At any rate, blogger The Rude Pundit weighs in on the Colorado shootings and the peculiar hold that the National Rifle Association wields over our leaders.  He writes, on 6 Aug:

There is no reasoning with the NRA. It exists solely to advocate for reckless policies that are demonstrably harmful to the nation. If it was run by Muslims, calling for more firepower and ease with which to buy and carry guns and ammo, it would have been designated a terrorist organization.

That sums it up for me.  If you think about it, he's right. 

Is the Day of the Flashlight Over?

Well, my headlamp arrived--the Petzl MYO XP LED Headlamp. I never though of myself as a "headlamp guy," preferring the solid feel of a flashlight in my hand.  However, things change, and with Umstead looming on 27 March--if I rise high enough on the wait list and actually gain entry to the race--I decided to give headlamping a whirl to see if I liked it (wasn't that cool how I just managed to coin an entirely new word?).

I've tried it around the house (well, my windowless basement) and the device is BRIGHT.  And user comments on (I think) the REI web site mentioned the fact that it's so bright and long-lived that folks also use it for biking and caving, besides trail running.

I hope to get out on Monday when I'm off for the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday on Monday and test drive it.  That would involve getting up at o-dark-thirty so as to run at least 2 hours in the dark.  The run will kill 2 birds with 1 stone: testing the headlamp in actual use, and getting in a very necessary 30 mile training run without any impact on the family.  I am hoping that the C&O Canal towpath (of JFK 50 miler fame) is snow-free by then from the remnants of the 24" snowfall back on 19 Dec and another 4" a week later.

As I posted to the UltraList, I got the headlamp on eBay, where I found new ones under Buy-It-Now for $69 with free shipping.  I offered the guy $60 and we split the difference for a final price of $65 delivered.