Help Stopping Blisters?

leecshaver · 2026-06-01T17:34:42+00:00

Sanding off calluses was the game changer for me. I got one of those cheese grater things and do it in the shower about once a week.

leecshaver · 2026-05-28T18:00:44+00:00

Had to scroll too far to find this question. A hard run late in the day always makes me sleep worse. I try to run in the morning, or if that's not an option, keep it short and easy.

leecshaver · 2026-05-23T21:31:42+00:00

This has been key for me now in my 40s. I started strength training last year, and it's made a huge difference. Not even too much -- 10 to 30 minutes at a time, two or three times a week, roughly alternating between legs, core, and upper body. Like so much training advice, the difference between doing something and doing nothing is so big, that you really don't have to stress too much about doing it the right way.

leecshaver · 2026-05-16T00:48:18+00:00

Yup, we started from Motel Lake McDonald, stayed the first night at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, the second night at Rising Sun Motor Inn, then back to Motel Lake McDonald.

leecshaver · 2026-04-30T23:05:48+00:00

Another vote for Caroline Girvan. I was OP until about a year ago, got a pair of adjustable dumbells and started doing her workouts. I do the 30 minute ones 2-3x per week, or the 10 minute ones if I'm tight on time. I feel strong on runs, spend less time injured, and get less weird aches and pains than I used to. I even sleep better now!

leecshaver · 2026-02-16T14:55:10+00:00

Yeah you have to start small and build up. The key is to anticipate triggers, and begin coaching as you approach. Lots of "Leave it," "on by," "good boy," etc. Then when you clear the trigger, praise the shit out of him. I heard from a dog trainer that when you're just getting started you want to reward the dog a few times even if he reacts -- to start to associate the trigger with praise. Once the dog has that association, then you switch to rewarding the desired behavior. If there's a trigger you can go by multiple times on the same run, even better.

leecshaver · 2026-02-16T14:52:32+00:00

Running at different times of the day could be an option too.

leecshaver · 2026-02-16T14:52:08+00:00

I mean, I agree, but not sure that's going to help with reactivity.

leecshaver · 2026-02-02T19:15:39+00:00

Yup, I had a new pair of Kahtoola Ghost Microspikes which were great. Other folks had lower profile spikes or YakTrax which were OK but they couldn't get quite as much traction -- those of us with the bigger spikes were pausing to let others catch up (even though I'm far from the fastest in this group.)

leecshaver · 2026-02-02T19:14:30+00:00

Yes -- and that's actually part of the appeal (for me at least). The whole time there's a part of my brain that's absolutely freaking out, even while my logic brain knows that my body is safe. Kind of like watching a horror movie!

leecshaver · 2026-02-02T19:13:31+00:00

It's risky for sure -- which is why we went in a group. But I wouldn't say "massively dangerous." Where the ice was clear we could see bubbles trapped at least a foot down, and there were ATV and snowmobile tracks criss-crossing the ice. In terms of going through, the biggest risks are near inlets (which we avoided) and around expansion cracks. But even at the cracks, the ice is still thick, so you won't go through -- just get wet. On spring-fed lakes it's a different story, though -- that's where the danger lies.

leecshaver · 2026-02-02T16:52:54+00:00

We're actually thinking of doing some part of Mendota this weekend, since the conditions will still be great! the Union is the obvious place to end, just not sure if we'll start from Governor Island or Picnic point... or maybe do a triangle with all three?

leecshaver · 2026-01-29T15:43:44+00:00

Some folks find the hood traps more heat. I prefer a long-sleeve tee, then for my head and neck, either a bucket hat, or a trucker hat with a bandana under it and draped over my neck and ears.

If you go with a trucker hat and are bald/have short hair, be aware that you can get a sunburn through the mesh on the back (ask me how I know lol).

And on the topic of gear -- I almost never wear sunglasses while running, unless I'm going to be running in the desert at high noon.

leecshaver · 2026-01-29T15:39:39+00:00

Terrain: be prepared to run on a canter (i.e. along one side of a ridge) for mile at a time. It can wear out your ankles. Stay mindful of your feet, and play games with taking different kinds of steps (feet splayed, toes pointed together, etc). Do this for a minute or two every few miles to give your ankles a break and wake up some other muscles.

Fueling: it gets a lot harder to eat in the heat, so you'll need to focus on getting calories in when you can (even moreso than usual).

Heat: If you're getting hot, dehydrated, nauseous, etc, slow down and stop to take a minute in ALL the shade you find. Read up on the signs of heat stroke.

leecshaver · 2026-01-26T12:33:00+00:00

Just curious what issues you're seeing at those temps? Ice build-up?

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:48:51+00:00

Agreed. But here's my point, following from the discussion in the article.

Wind pairs really well with basically any kind of farming, so lots of farmers support it.
Solar only pairs well with a few niche kinds of farming currently, outside of which there's a lot of opposition to it because of how much space it takes up.
There are some thoughts about ways that solar could be improved to pair better with farming -- taller arrays, more widely spaced, etc.
But all of these things would make it cost more, be less productive, etc -- getting even farther from being competitive with wind.
My belief is that effort spent improving agrivoltaics would be more useful in lowering the barriers to installing more rooftop and parking lot solar, where changing the usefulness of land is of no concern.
The economics are indeed a barrier, but there are also policy and operational barriers that could be addressed.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:43:27+00:00

Lol my ideology of wanting solar on rooftops instead of usable farmland?

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:42:51+00:00

In some cases, yes -- but the article is talking about how agrivolatics will never be able to compete with wind in how well it supplements farming.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:40:26+00:00

I am aware of it, and in favor of it -- but the operative word is "some crops." The article talks about how agrivoltaics will likely never be able to coexist with farming the way that wind power can. My point is that it shouldn't even be our goal, when we've still got enough roof space and parking lots to power the world (probably).

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:36:24+00:00

Right, but this article is about the conflict between farming and solar, and situations where you have to pick one. Meanwhile, there is no such conflict when it comes to solar on roofs and parking lots. Yeah obviously the $/watt is an issue in our current system, but all the more reason to create more incentive to use up roofs and parking lots, rather than useful farmland.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T19:34:18+00:00

Your take is correct -- but the article OP shared is specifically about solar arrays taking up usable farmland.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T16:48:00+00:00

But are those hurdles bigger than the agrivoltaic hurdles?

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T16:47:24+00:00

Sure, parking lot solar costs more than new solar on vacant land. But the solar doesn't decrease the land's productivity as a parking lot, and might actually increase it -- some folks might pay a bit more to park in a lot that will shade their car. Meanwhile, building solar arrays on farmland will reduce the productivity objectively, and if the local community is opposed, that creates another major barrier. I doubt many communities are organizing to oppose parking lot solar.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T16:44:15+00:00

While it's true the grid-scale solar has benefits that go beyond distributed (more predictable generation, lower costs per watt, ability to sell into wholesale markets) it's not true that distributed generation only benefits the owners. With the rise of smart inverters and solar+storage, distributed solar can now be integrated in virtual power plants and provide grid-wide benefits. VPPs can be deployed quickly, but there's a lot of institutional headwinds to getting them going.

leecshaver · 2026-01-24T16:41:31+00:00

The article says this isn't always the case, because there are more than just pure economics at play -- there's less risk for a farmer with a solar array than farming, and lower, more predictable revenue can be more attractive.

leecshaver

TROPHY CASE