Reclaim your human birthright: Take off on foot, and quickly

I’m trying hard not to write a “you know you’re a runner if” post here. All kinds of goofy things would come of it, usually things about how many showers a day you take, how many pairs of shoes you go though a year, how much Lulu Lemon stuff is in your closet or how much you’re addicted to Gu.

You know, all that geeky runner crap that sounds cute in passing, but makes for pretty bad prose.

But a couple of things got me thinking about this subject.

A few months ago, a friend of mine had called me up wanting to grab some lunch. Trouble is, my car was dead on its axles. This wasn’t a problem, because at the time I could walk or bike to work. But that wasn’t in the cards here. A walk to our chosen restaurant would have taken about an hour.

So I ran it. Twenty minutes, I was there. It was cool outside and it wasn’t a long run, so I showed up looking no worse for the wear.

I thought that was kinda cool. Burned off some calories right before chowing down with my friend.

Several months later, I was on a business trip in Wisconsin. On this trip, the company sponsoring the week-long event had pre-planned after hours get-togethers in which bottomless alcohol was served. To help people out, the company provided shuttles from the venue to the various hotels where people were staying.

An excellent idea. Great hosts taking care of people so no one gets in trouble or hurt.

Those shuttles stopped at some point, and I missed mine. My hotel wasn’t far, so I decided to hoof it.

But I got impatient with the slowness of the walk. I wanted to get to bed. So I ran it in.

It wasn’t far, and it was a cool evening so I didn’t trot in sopping wet or anything. But it got me there quickly, which got me to bed. Mission accomplished.

Now I know what you’re thinking. “He’s gonna say ‘you know you’re a real runner when run everywhere you go.’ Lame.”

I don’t run everywhere I go. Sometimes I walk. A lot of times, I drive my car.

But it’s nice to know that I have the option to set out on foot to get somewhere, and pick up the pace to get there more quickly.

The best thing about this, however, is it is not limited to “runners.” It’s for everyone.

Contrary to what some doctors might tell you, we are made to run. The design of our cardiovascular and respiratory systems, our muscles, our feet, even all the ligaments in our bodies, from head to toes, are made for running.

You may think otherwise, but that doesn’t make it so. We all have this God-given design to speed up from a walk to a run, and to do it for long distances over lengthy periods of time.

If we can shed some of the modern junk that quite literally weighs us down, dig deep into our primordial roots and stretch out our strides, we might realize an interesting truth.

Want to know if you’re a runner?

Can you breathe?

Can you walk?

Yes? Then you are, indeed, a runner.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Experimenting in barefoot running

What better place to run like a kid than in a park?

So I’ve been doing the minimalist running thing for a couple of months now, and I can say it’s been a mix of good results and new challenges.

The good results: It’s helped change my running form to something healthier and more sustainable. I’ve also found that without the significant support of traditional running shoes, my legs have had to work harder to get me going. Translation: Stronger legs, particularly my already outsized calves.

All of this has been good. So good that I accelerated my mileage in minimalist running shoes quite a bit. I’ve taken them out on trails, and rugged ones at that. My longest run on the minimalists shoes has been 6 miles on highly technical trails.

Now for the bad news. I’ve experienced some soreness and pain in my feet, particularly on the upper portions. The level or soreness and pain is high enough to alter my stride, so I had to back off and run in more robust shoes when I hit the trails. I’ve been told I’ve tried to do too much, too fast. I believe it.

Enter barefoot running.

Seems counterintuitive, but I truly feel the key to overcoming injuries like this will be to improve my stride and strengthen by legs and feet.

I do not believe the answer is going back to shoes with lots of cushion, motion control and support. Call me crazy.

I’m not sure I’m ready to start doing the barefoot thing on pavement. Places where I go seem to commonly have broken glass and such. I’ll pass on that. But in my reading, I learned that Stanford University’s track team had its athletes run barefoot on grass to strengthen their feet, improve their form and cut down on injuries. From what I’ve read, they’ve had success in those areas.

There’s a park I sometimes go to for quick trail runs. Tulsa’s Haikey Creek Park has a 1.3-mile trail loop that is quite a bit different from my favorite trail haunt. Its trails are mellow, non-technical and relatively flat. The loop circumnavigates a rather large green space or mowed grass.

The green space is where I did the barefoot thing.

Some initial impressions:

– Similar to running in minimalist shoes, barefoot running really works the calves and forces you to run more upright, with shorter strides and eliminates heel striking. It’s harder work it first, but that means strengthening is happening.

– Foot fatigue came quickly, but not too much. I was able to pound out some miles the next day without any issues related to the previous day’s barefoot exercise. This is good!

– The bottoms of my feet started to feel hot. The friction of hitting and rubbing against the ground contributed to this. At that point, it was time to stop.

All told, this lasted about a mile after a short trail run on regular running shoes.

I think I’m going to add this into my training on a weekly basis, while also continuing to throw in workouts in the minimalist shoes.

I’m looking forward to seeing if my foot strength and overall fitness improves.

Have you tried barefoot running? Is it working for you? What are your experiences with it? Let me know!

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088 

A short, outdoorsy summer reading list

People often come up with summer reading lists. I’m not sure why summer is all of the sudden a season for reading, but that seems to be how it breaks down.

It also got me thinking about a few of my favorite reads. Some of mine are current events-type books, so I’ll spare you that. Besides, my favorite books tend to be more geared toward two things I really enjoy: good writing and a good yarn with an outdoors flavor.

One of my absolute favorites is “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. It’s well-written, expertly reported and thoroughly engrossing. Many of us who are into the outdoors have often dreamed similar dreams as did Chris McCandless – chucking away our normal lives and going on a permanent road trip adventure. His story ended tragically, but the pulse of the book is one which matches my own, and it’s very much a Gen-X tale (my generation!). If you like Krakauer, then “Into Thin Air” (about the 1996 Everest disaster), “Eiger Dreams” (an anthology of his essays) and “Where Men Win Glory” (his excellent and sad biography of ex-NFL star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman) are worth a look.

Speaking of risk-taking authors, you really should check out the works of Sebastian Junger. He’s done some good work, but my favorite of his is his most famous: “The Perfect Storm.” Chances are you’ve seen the movie. The book is much better. Few people can put together the cold, hard facts of science and history into the human tales in which they are intertwined. Skillfully reported, he takes you into the wheelhouses and cockpits of the vessels and aircraft caught up in one of the freakiest storms to ever strike the Eastern Seaboard. See also his anthology “Fire,” which includes a great piece about Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Northern Alliance leader of Afghanistan who was killed days before 9/11.

The newborn runner in me is also really into the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. The writer takes us to the Copper Canyons of Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountains and into the lives of the super-running tribe of Tarahumara Indians. Also in the book is quite a bit about the late Micah True (aka Caballo Blanco), the American runner who learned the Tarahumara’s secrets and founded the Copper Canyon ultramarathon. The popularity of the book is widely seen as the catalyst to the barefoot/minimalist running movement that has taken hold in recent years.

Are you as fascinated by Mount Everest as me? But also horrified by the circus that seems to kill unwitting climbers there every spring? “High Crimes: Mount Everest in an Age of Greed” by Michael Kodas is a very good read that describes just how seedy things have gotten on the world’s highest peak. Another good one in this vein: “Dark Summit” by Nick Heil gives another view of how ambition, greed and amateurism is transforming the narrative of high altitude mountaineering.

That’s a pretty good start. What books are you reading? Let me know and let’s discuss!

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Today is National Running Day. What are you doing about it?

Today is a lot of things, most memorably, it’s the 68th anniversary of D-Day, when the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy during World War II.

On a less serious note, it’s also National Running Day.

I’ll be honest, I’m beat. I’ve been hitting the road and trail pretty hard over the last several days so my legs are pretty trashed at the moment. But I may pound out an honorary mile just because.

I’m hoping more of you will tackle this day with a bit more style than me today. So here’s the question: What did you do/are you going to do for National Running Day? Why do you run? Feel free to tell me about it here. I’d like to hear what’s going on out there with any readers who are also runners.

So go on. Get out there and crush it, then tell me about it.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Micah True, aka ‘Caballo Blanco,’ died from heart disease, autopsy shows

Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco

An autopsy report released Tuesday says renowned ultra runner Micah True died of heart disease while out on a 12-mile trail run a little over a month ago, The Associated Press reports.

According to the report, True, 58, had an enlarged heart and the left ventricle had become thick and dilated.

True’s body was discovered March 31, four days after he’d gone missing while running in New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness.

True was a central figure in the best-selling book “Born to Run,” which chronicled the exploits of Mexico’s Tarahumara Indians and their penchant for long-distance running in little more than homemade sandals. True was the founder of the Copper Canyon Ultra race, which takes place annually in the region of Mexico where the Tarahumara live.

To read the full AP report, click this link.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Minimalist running gear test, part 3: Merrell True Glove on a trail run

Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain. (Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area photo)

The key to any gear test is to eventually put it through the roughest conditions it might face. Taking a pair of running shoes on the pavement or on mild trails is one way to go about it, but the conditions don’t get any rougher for shoes than a place littered with loose stones, slick spots, protruding tree roots and jutting rocks.

Mix that in with a long series of vertical gains and losses, and you get the drift: The runner will be tested, but so will his or her shoes.

That’s what I set out to do when I took a pair of Merrell True Glove minimalist running shoes for a final test – a 4.5-mile trail run at Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness.

Turkey Mountain is a multi-purpose site for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and trail runners. The city’s park system does a good job maintaining Turkey Mountain’s trails, but they do so while preserving its rugged nature. The trails make for an easygoing hike, but once you add some speed via the run or in the saddle of a bike, then things change dramatically.

In the past, I’d looked at most trail running shoes as unequal to the task of handling Turkey Mountain for long. I’d even tested a pair of lightweight Merrell hikers with the idea of seeing if their more robust construction might make them an appealing alternative to traditional trail runners. (You can read that review here.)

So what in the world was I doing bringing minimalist shoes to a place like this? Isn’t that akin to bringing a knife to a gunfight?

If you look at the shoe, the first-impression answer to that question would be “yes.” But you never know until you try, and taking gear to its limits will give you a good idea of how good it is.

A section of Turkey Mountain’s trails. (Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area photo)

The track

Turkey Mountain is actually a long, wooded ridge on the west bank of the Arkansas River. The hills and ridges around Tulsa are actually the westernmost extension of the bigger, higher mountains of the Ozarks in Arkansas. The city set aside Turkey Mountain as an outdoor recreation site with as few man-made embellishments as possible.

Many trails I’ve run are relatively smooth, gravel paths with gradual inclines. Most have had tripping hazards removed. Not so at Turkey Mountain. Its growing reputation as a rugged single-track biker’s haven is also what makes it such a fun trail run.

You will trip on stuff. You will have to jump over things. You will blow your legs out running to the ridge’s summit, and you will be just slightly out of control going downhill. When it’s over, you will have had a seriously thorough workout. It’s the site of many trail run and bike races, and was last year’s Oklahoma venue for the Warrior Dash.

The ridge has four basic trail systems, plus a more extensive network of side trails that go for miles. I chose to do the Yellow Trail, which goes up to the ridge top, goes north to the ridge’s end, then back south on the ridge’s east side. It’s 4.5 miles with steep inclines to start, a long straight stretch in the middle, and the last half being a series of climbs and drops that will just sap you.

Merrell True Glove minimalist running shoes.

The shoe

As in my first and second tests, the shoe is the Merrell True Glove. It’s a minimalist shoe with spare construction, but it’s been given a Vibram sole. Vibram is famous for its five-finger shoes, but well before that, it’s been known for some killer soles on hiking boots for a variety of manufacturers.

The first test went well, but without socks, blisters were the result. For the second test, I snagged a pair of Adidas Climacool runners’ socks. I went just 2 miles, but got a good workout nonetheless. And no blisters.

Both times, the shoe forced me to conform to the minimalist running style of shorter, quicker footsteps (about 180 steps per minute, less than the 120 per minute for most runners), mid-foot striking and a more upright posture. Both tests were on pavement – the first on a flat track, the second on a hillier, but still manageable route.

The test

This one would feel much different than the previous two tests, and for obvious reasons. Running on pavement, you are allowed to set breathing patterns and rhythms. You can do this in spurts on trail runs, but the nature of this trail didn’t allow it very often.

That also meant the barefoot/minimalist stride would also be more sporadic. When you’re scrambling up a gully filled with jutting rocks and tree roots, everything goes out the window.

On the flatter sections, running form takes over until the next climb or descent. I also found that many times, my strides would be even choppier than the normal minimalist gait, mostly because of obstacles on the path.

That didn’t stop me from tripping when I wasn’t paying attention or when I got tired. Hey, it happens. Trail run for any length of time and you’re going to bite it.

But how would the shoe hold up to kicking hard objects? How would my feet feel after 45 minutes of stepping on stones and stumps? Would the spare tread grip the trail on steep downhills, particularly on bare rock?

Lots of questions. The answers are mostly good.

Yes, if you kick something or step on something in minimalist shoes, you will feel it more. But nothing happened that forced me off the trail with pain or an injury, and the shoe held up.

Like road running in minimalists, your legs will work harder. Without the spring of more cushioned soles, your legs absorb more shock while also pushing harder to propel you forward.

As in previous tests, my legs grew more tired, especially my calves. But already, I’m noticing differences in the muscularity in my legs. All that extra work is developing a strong base.

There was also some foot fatigue, but not nearly as much as I would have expected on a minimalist run for 4.5 miles.

I also found that she shoe did well in keeping traction on the trail, even in the more troublesome spots. Its light weight made it easier to be nimble when there was cause for quick footwork. But I also had to be a little more conscious of where I put my feet. What I might crash through in thicker soles would not be a good idea here.

The bottom line: I suffered no ill physical effects (blisters also avoided again!) and the shoe weathered the conditions well.

Conclusions

Minimalist shoes aren’t going to be for everyone. But what I can tell you a few things from the three tests I did.

First, the shoe will change your form, and if you conform, you will save your joints and back a lot of grief. Heel striking will be prohibitively awkward and uncomfortable. So the shorter, quicker steps will feel more natural. The change will mess with your breathing cadence, but chances are you will adjust in time.

Second, you will reap conditioning benefits. The lack of cushion will make your legs and core work harder, and that will make you stronger. What runner or other athlete doesn’t want that? Just be sure to monitor your feet, ease into it and back off if you feel pain in your feet that goes beyond mere soreness.

Third, this particular shoe is good to go on any surface. Outside of bushwhacking off-trail, I pretty much tested them on every running surface available to me. The results were all similar: Because you can feel more of the ground, you will be forced to run lighter on your feet. I felt a lot more on the trail run, but that would be true with any shoe.

One thing I’d like to see: Minimalist shoes are pretty spare when it comes to material and construction, so I’m not sure their price should be as high as traditional running shoes. I bought mine on sale for $80, but I’ve seen some shoes from Merrell and other manufacturers run as high as $130. Given the design of these shoes, I have to think there’s a pretty big mark-up here.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Merrell True Glove test, Part 2: Minimalist running and a few adjustments

Merrell True Glove minimalist running shoes.

Not too long ago, I tried minimalist running for the first time. This has been a growing trend in the running world, with proponents touting benefits such as improved form, greater strength and conditioning, and injury prevention.

There is also an admonition: Ease into it.

In my experiment, I chose a pair of Merrell True Glove shoes. Minimalist shoes are the closest thing you can get to barefoot, so it makes sense to try minimalist shoes before going all in with barefoot.

(Note: I’m reviewing products here that I bought on my own; manufacturers did not participate in this review)

My first go at it was fruitful: 2.4 miles on a flat, paved track. I went without socks and found that I transitioned pretty well and got in a groove. When I finished, my legs felt like they were worked more than they would be in traditional shoes. I also had some blisters from hot spots the developed. On the bright side, the zero-drop of the sole seems to have solved a nagging issue with me—sore Achilles tendons.

Round two included some adjustments. I was told my stride was off, so I did some research on that. I also opted for some blister prevention – a pair of Climacool fabric socks from Adidas. Lastly, I was told I may have gone a little too far for a first attempt at minimalist running.

For my next route, I chose a shorter run – 2 miles – in a somewhat hillier, paved area.

A side-by-side comparison of my traditional Asics Gel running shoes with the Merrell True Glove minimalist shoe. The Asics are light, but the size difference is noticeable.

The test

Immediately, I noticed that the shoes forced me to adjust my stride. I usually lope a little bit, which means wasted energy bobbing up and down. Springy, cushioned shoes enable this bad habit. The utter lack of cushion on the Merrells stripped that away. I found myself conforming to the mid-foot strike, level, 180-steps-per-minute stride that is recommended for minimalist and barefoot running. (By comparison, most people heel-strike, running with longer strides, more bounce and at a pace of 120 steps per minute.)

Again, I felt the extra work my legs had to do. And the faster cadence meant my breathing had to be adjusted. The bad news is this means I’m working harder, thus affecting how far and how long I can go.

Hill climbing is also harder, as I wasn’t aided by the spring of my old shoes. My legs and feet were forced to do all the work.

The good news is that the amount of work I’m doing per minute means I’m getting more bang for my buck in the workout. In the short term, my “stats” will suffer, as in, fewer miles per run and slower times. But in the long run, I’ll be much stronger and ultimately, more fit.

I like that long-term prognosis.

Another thing to note: Even though I was wearing shoes, this particular model let me feel the contours of the ground. Every pebble, crack and any other anomaly on the ground I stepped on was felt by my feet. In normal running shoes, this might not be the case, or at least minimized greatly.

Another view. Here you can clearly see how the zero-drop of the Merrells make a significant difference not only in the shoes' profiles, but also in foot position for the runner.

After-effects

Once the run was over, I experienced the same leg sensations as I did the first time – greater leg soreness (particularly in my calves) and fatigue in my feet. Two miles in minimalist shoes at a moderate pace felt like a 5K.

But the sock strategy worked – no blisters. And the socks might also prevent the inevitable downside of minimalist running without socks – shoe odor. Even with special fabrics designed to combat odor, over time it will build up. No thanks to that. Purists in the barefoot/minimalist world might blanche at this, but my thinking is you should go with what works for you.

Lastly, back to the Achilles heel issues. This is what is stopping me from adding miles, and it’s a problem in my other shoes. Like my first minimalist run, I was pleased to have no Achilles soreness despite the extra work my calves were recruited to do.

My first minimalist run was a success with setbacks. My second – which included conforming to the barefoot/minimalist form – was also a success, but without the setbacks.

So far, so good. I’m starting to believe. But the test isn’t over.

Next time, I’ll take the uber-light Merrells out for a trail run on one of the more rugged tracks around: Tulsa’s Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness.

Stay tuned.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

Minimalist running: A first impression on the Merrell True Glove

Merrell True Glove minimalist running shoes.

I thought about doing this as a gear test, but really, can you do a gear test for anything without putting it through its paces for an extended period of time? Not really. So what you’re going to get here are initial impressions of the product as well as the activity.

So here’s the deal. I enjoy running, but I’m not the super runner that many of you are. Nope, no marathons or ultras under my belt. My idea of a good time is cruising out for about 3 miles in the city, or maybe 5 or so on the trails. I’m interested in those longer races, and getting my mileage up for some bigger runs is a priority. I’d really love to put together some lengthy trail runs in the Rockies.

Unlike most runners, I never developed a heel strike habit. I’m a mid-foot striker, with a tendency to edge closer to the front. What does this mean? The knee and back issues that plague many runners don’t bother me. However, it means other problems pop up.

My calves get worked when I run, more than most. And that’s OK, because I have mondo calves. But my Achilles tendons are just like anyone else’s. They get aggravated, and the angle of a traditional running shoe puts more strain on mid-foot strikers. This will be a problem for me if I want to pile up more miles.

Enter minimalist running. I’ve been told that mid-foot striking is the way to go, and having shoes that match the technique are essential. The added benefits of barefoot and minimalist running are also major: Initial studies point toward minimalist running as a great way to build foot, leg and core strength. Yes, please, to all that!

So I broke down and found me a pair of minimalist shoes and took them for a spin.

The shoe

The shoes I bought are Merrell True Gloves (disclosure: I bought these with my own money; no prior arrangement with the manufacturer for a review was made). To me, they look like climbing shoes with a tread. Putting them on, they fit snug. The first thing I noticed, aside from how light they are, was how my foot was aligned. I’m so used to having my heel elevated a bit, and that’s not just from running shoes. Think of it – work shoes, basketball shoes, hiking boots, and just about anything else has the heel slightly elevated. It’s only when we’re barefoot that our feet are truly level.

I ran without any sort of socks (as close to barefoot as I could get without actually being barefoot). The lack of cushion is apparent, but not uncomfortable.

As for the shoes themselves, they are so light as to feel like they’re not even there. Their soles are stiff, but there’s enough movement to allow a natural flex of the foot.

My initial impression: As a shoe, the True Glove performed remarkably well. Time and mileage will tell the real tale.

The experience

I’ve been told that when you start the minimalist or barefoot thing, you need to take it slow. I initially thought about hitting a 5-mile trail run, but thought better of it. Instead, I chose a flat track at a local city park system’s trail I call the bridge loop – 2.4 miles where you run along the banks of the Arkansas River, cross a pedestrian bridge, run the other bank, and cross back over the river on another bridge. It’s a mellow, nice workout that seemed like a good test for the shoes and the experience.

What I discovered is that once I got going, my running form stayed fairly true and I noticed very little change from how I normally go. The lack of cushion forced me to try to tread a little lighter, but I didn’t notice too much different.

I finished the run in a pretty normal time for me, noticing a slight increase in leg muscle fatigue as my workout drew to a close. Once finished, I stopped, stretched and checked out my feet.

I did have some small blisters. I’ve been told this has something to do to my form, which is possible. But anytime you sweat, wet skin rubbing against fabric is likely to cause some sort of friction and hot spots. What’s more, warm, sweaty skin tends to inflame and become more prone to blistering or cuts.

For that reason alone, it was a good thing I didn’t opt for the longer trail run, and I’ll lay off that until my feet toughen up. That will take some time.

I also noticed more leg muscle fatigue. My thighs had to work a little harder, and my calves even more so. Without the cushion of traditional running shoes, the minimalist shoes also lacked the spring that comes with it. That meant my legs had to work harder to propel me forward.

This is a good thing because I got more bang for the buck in my workout. But it gets better.

Despite the lack of cushion, I had no back pain. What’s more: Even though my calves suffered the most – and tightened up pretty quick – I had no tightness in my Achilles tendons in the days that followed. I take comfort in the thought that there are people who log serious miles barefoot. Perhaps, as my feet get tougher and stronger, I’ll be able to do the same without worrying about an Achilles tear.

Conclusion

Minimalist runs will become a regular part of my training regimen. There are too many benefits to ignore. But I’m going to ease into it. Too much too fast might strain my feet to the point of injury, and then there’s the whole blister issue. Maybe I need to work on my gait or have it analyzed, but I also think a thin sock might help. I know this goes against the barefoot ethos, but I’m impatient to get this show going without blistering.

We’ll see how this experiment goes.

Until then, I’d love to hear your experiences on barefoot and minimalist running. How was your transition? Any tips? Success stories? Nightmares? Let me know.

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

‘Caballo Blanco’ Micah True found dead in New Mexico

Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco

Sad news in the world of running tonight. Micah True, aka Caballo Blanco, was found dead Saturday evening in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico.

True had been missing for four days, last seen leaving a lodge to go out on a 12-mile run. He was 58.

True was made famous as a central figure in the book “Born to Run,” which examined the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico and their generations-long habit of mimimalist and barefoot running. The book, as well as the insights gained from True (he lived with the tribe for a time), were major influences in the recent boom in barefoot and minimalist running. Since the book was published, devotees to minimalist running have exploded in number while the athletic shoe industry has catered to the trend with a large offering of minimalist shoes.

True was also a major figure in the running community in and around Boulder, Colo., and was a well-known ultra-runner. He was the race director for the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon.

Officials say that his body showed no obvious signs of trauma, according to news reports. No cause of death has been reported. It has been reported that he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt while carrying a water bottle when his body was found.

You can read a more full account of this story here.