Trying the Lehigh Gap Again

I wanted to run an easy day today, but also do some climbing.  Since it was nice out, I decided I could run the barren trails at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center.  I was hoping to climb to the top of the mountain and run along the ridge for awhile.  The plan was for about 8 miles.  It didn't quite work out, but I still got in a good workout.

I started out on the LNE Trail.  This begins with a little climb at the Nature Center.  It is rocky before leveling and smoothing out.  I saw some people get out of the truck next to me and I thought I might catch them on this trail.  Then I realized that they didn't look like hikers, so they were likely on the flat D&L Trail.  I will give them credit, I saw them walking out about 40 minutes later.  That means they were walking over an hour and a half.  They didn't look like they could go that far.

Even when the trail flattened out, it was still a bit of a pain.  The grass between the tire tracks on the trail was overgrown.  I've never seen that before when I have run there.  I guess they usually mow it pretty well, but for whatever reason they haven't lately.  I used some bug spray, but still wasn't crazy about rubbing up against brush.

The arch of my right foot started bothering me in this section.  That happens from time to time when I run in my trail shoes.  It only seems to be a problem while I'm running.  I'm not sure if the shoe doesn't fit right or what the issue is.

Eventually I came to the Prairie Grass Trail.  The nearby zinc plant killed all the vegetation on the mountain and that grass is about all that grows there.  This trail is a bit rocky and it is a steep uphill climb.  During the summer, Kelley and I ran here, but I couldn't climb too much because the humidity was brutal and the trail is exposed to the sun.  With this cool breeze, it was much better.

I made it farther up the trail than I ever had before.  Although it was uphill, it wasn't too steep.  I wasn't breathing all that heavy.  Maybe it is just me getting stronger.  The problem was that my arch really started killing me.  It was getting close to unbearable and I could feel it with every step of the climb.  I kept going though.  I ran through the treeline and all the way to the intersecting Charcoal Trail.

I had hoped to take the Charcoal Trail all the way to the top of the mountain.  My foot was just hurting too much.  I also saw a hiker on that trail and decided that it would be a good time to turn around and head back down the mountain.  I had probably climbed a couple hundred feet, but I'm sure I had a few hundred more to go.  The top of the mountain still looked far away.  I'm sure it wasn't as bad as it looked.  I probably could've made it to the top without the foot issue.

Going down the trail was a great relief for my foot.  I had no more pain.  Since it is so rocky, I had to be careful with my footing.  It is a shame because the views of the valley below and the town of Palmerton are great from up there.  I made it back down to the LNE Trail fairly quickly.  

Although I didn't go as far as I wanted to, I at least got some climbing done.  I wanted to explore the far end of the trail, so I continued west on the LNE.  This went on for a couple miles.  Kelley and I had unsuccessfully run the other end of the Prairie Grass Trail earlier in the summer.  It was too overgrown.  I continued past that section and on to the end of the LNE. 

It was weird running near the end of the LNE.  Suddenly the trail was like a normal trail with trees lining the path.  No more dead vegetation.  The zinc plant must have blown its nasty air over the river and right through the gap.

I passed the Three Ponds Trail, but that looked overgrown.  I saw some houses below the trail.  Then there was a gate at the end of the trail.  I knew that somehow the LNE connected to the D&L, so I kept going.  I had to go downhill on a stone road by the houses.  There were some really crappy trailers there.  Eventually I found more of a main road and was back onto the D&L Trail.

The rest of this run was very easy.  I watched my overall pace fall and fall, even as I ran with no effort.  Some of the stones on the LNE were bigger and for some reason that seemed to bother my arch.  This terrain was fine though.  My pain went away.  My IT band on my right leg did act up a little, but it was only minor. 

At one poin,t I looked over a saw a concrete wall that I had noticed from above.  I thought I was farther along on the D&L than that.  I then realized that because of the way the trail curved through the gap, I would be running more distance on the D&L than I did on the LNE.

This part of the D&L was long, but uneventful.  I passed a few walkers and bikers.  That was about it.  As I got back to the Nature Center, I was at about mile 6.40.  I decided that I would run to mile 7.  Rather than run on the D&L, I elected to climb the short hill of Prairie Warbler Trail next to Nature Center.  That added some changing terrain and about a quarter mile to my run.  I finished up by continuing on the D&L Trail and then walking back.

It was a nice, easy day.  I love running at Lehigh Gap.  The views are amazing.  They were even really cool from the D&L as I approached the gap.  One of these days, I'll make it to the top of the mountain running.  I now feel like I can actually do that.  I just have to keep my foot from acting up.

Tomorrow is another speedwork session.  I'm not sure where I'll go.  Perhaps on the D&L again or maybe the Saucon Rail Trail.  I plan on running 6 X 1 mile repeats under my goal pace of 7 minutes.  I'll have to check the weather, but I assume it will cooperate.  I'm looking to nail another key workout.

7 miles - 1:01:55 (8:51 pace)