I ran my 6 mile long run on the marathon course today. I wanted to check out how my leg of the relay was holding up after all the rain and flooding. It is basically and stone and was in good condition. The only significant problem I had was there was a pretty big puddle at the end of the run at Hope Road.
I started at Freemansburg and ran to Hope Road and back. That's about half of my actual relay. It's the part that isn't on paved surface though. I went out at a perfect easy pace. The first mile was dead on 9:00. That was perfect.
It was a little humid and sunny when I started. Luckily, the path is shaded, so it wasn't bad at all. I just simply cruised along. I got a little worried because I thought I might have to go to the bathroom early on. There was a bathroom at the start, but it was dirty. Thankfully, I never had to stop and make a trip.
My IT band bothered me a bit. It has some lately, but it isn't too bad. I need to start stretching and massaging it better, to stay ahead of it. It did seem to improve as the run went on.
I was surprised that I didn't see more runners checking out the course. I passed a few runners on both directions, but most were slow and I doubt running a half or full marathon. One guy with a dog was doing a nice pace.
My mile splits were pretty consistent. I got a little bored in the second half of the run, but it wasn't too bad. I'm just not crazy about running paths like this with no elevation change. The only excitement were the two trains that went by on the opposite side of the river and the gunshots from the shooting range across the river too.
One time on the way back, I hit a section that was open to the river. That gave a very cold breeze over me. I did feel a bit tired towards the end. I decided in the last half mile or so to focus on my form. I didn't run any harder, but smoother. As I did, my pace picked up and I ran the final mile in 8:25.
I ran five straight days now. I'm not in terrible shape, but I definitely felt somewhat beat-up and exhausted. Tomorrow's rest day is much need. I can't wait for Sunday's relay. It should be fun. The only thing that stinks is how early we're going to meet in the morning.
6 miles - 52:46 (8:48 pace)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Trexler the Humbler
I guess whenever I get overconfident about my hill strength, I can always just head over to Trexler Nature Preserve to be humbled. There is just nothing around that I've found even close to as challenging as the hills there. Some are short, but super steep others are long and gradual climbs. Few are easy though.
The toughest part is just always starting out. If I could get a flat half mile or so, I'd be good. However, the run starts with a killer descent quickly following by an even tougher ascent. Without the legs warmed up, I was forced to walk a short portion of that uphill. Early on, I came across three deer running on or through the trail. That was cool. I only seem to see them in the rain though.
I did manage to survive the tough start and I opened it up for a short period of time around the rare flat section at around the end of the first mile. This is a nice run through the forest than an open field. Shortly after running on the road for a few minutes, it enters the rocky stretch along a stream. That was fairly wet and a little tough to navigate. My practice on the rocky AT has been a big help though.
Following that is mostly a gradual uphill climb for almost a mile. I love the open fields of this area. Even on a rainy and overcast day, the views were awesome. Speaking of the rain, I managed to get my run in during a window where the rain wasn't too bad. It was only a slight drizzle and I didn't need a jacket.
I was surprised at how good of a condition the trail was in after all the recent rain. A lot of it consists of small rocks and they held up well. There were few muddy spots. The one I did see had some deer tracks in it. That was neat.
I wanted to keeping running to the very high point of the park, but I would've had to walk back a lot further after I finished if I kept going. Therefore, I turned around a little after the two mile point. Coming back was even harder. It started downhill, but the paved stretch was uphill this time. That was brutal and when it ended there was yet more uphill. I walked briefly at the top of this part of the trail before getting back on pace. Of course there were a few more hills before I was done, but I finished up before the last killer uphill. That was hard enough to walk up.
Although the hills are tough, one thing that is nice is how open the path is. It does wind around so you can run pretty fast times for a trail course. This was supposed to be a fartlek, but it is hard to find places to run fast around there. I got a good workout anyway. The hills definitely were a killer. I really wish I lived closer so I could run this more often. It is so challenging and so much fun. If I could get there once a week, I'd be happy.
Tomorrow is a long run. With the marathon relay on Sunday, I'll probably run my section of the course. Whatever part isn't flooded anyway. I'll likely start at Freemansburg. They are already rerouting sections of the course that are flooded and I'm not sure how more won't be flooded in the coming days. The ran doesn't seem to have an end. Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see.
4 miles - 37:33 (9:24 pace)
The toughest part is just always starting out. If I could get a flat half mile or so, I'd be good. However, the run starts with a killer descent quickly following by an even tougher ascent. Without the legs warmed up, I was forced to walk a short portion of that uphill. Early on, I came across three deer running on or through the trail. That was cool. I only seem to see them in the rain though.
I did manage to survive the tough start and I opened it up for a short period of time around the rare flat section at around the end of the first mile. This is a nice run through the forest than an open field. Shortly after running on the road for a few minutes, it enters the rocky stretch along a stream. That was fairly wet and a little tough to navigate. My practice on the rocky AT has been a big help though.
Following that is mostly a gradual uphill climb for almost a mile. I love the open fields of this area. Even on a rainy and overcast day, the views were awesome. Speaking of the rain, I managed to get my run in during a window where the rain wasn't too bad. It was only a slight drizzle and I didn't need a jacket.
I was surprised at how good of a condition the trail was in after all the recent rain. A lot of it consists of small rocks and they held up well. There were few muddy spots. The one I did see had some deer tracks in it. That was neat.
I wanted to keeping running to the very high point of the park, but I would've had to walk back a lot further after I finished if I kept going. Therefore, I turned around a little after the two mile point. Coming back was even harder. It started downhill, but the paved stretch was uphill this time. That was brutal and when it ended there was yet more uphill. I walked briefly at the top of this part of the trail before getting back on pace. Of course there were a few more hills before I was done, but I finished up before the last killer uphill. That was hard enough to walk up.
Although the hills are tough, one thing that is nice is how open the path is. It does wind around so you can run pretty fast times for a trail course. This was supposed to be a fartlek, but it is hard to find places to run fast around there. I got a good workout anyway. The hills definitely were a killer. I really wish I lived closer so I could run this more often. It is so challenging and so much fun. If I could get there once a week, I'd be happy.
Tomorrow is a long run. With the marathon relay on Sunday, I'll probably run my section of the course. Whatever part isn't flooded anyway. I'll likely start at Freemansburg. They are already rerouting sections of the course that are flooded and I'm not sure how more won't be flooded in the coming days. The ran doesn't seem to have an end. Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see.
4 miles - 37:33 (9:24 pace)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Making Progress with a Progression
Tonight, I ran a 3 mile progression run. The last 10 minutes were at moderate pace. I ran around the Blue Eagle 5K loop in total darkness. It ended up being my best option with tonight's weather.
Originally, I was going to run down along the Lehigh River before dinner. The road I wanted to use was closed. By the time I got to the next location, I had to use the bathroom and there was none around. Eventually, I made it to the Route 33 Boat Launch. After the bathroom trip, I watched the water in the river briefly. It was high and actually flooded the westbound path. As I was watching the water, I heard a loud sound. I could actually hear the rain drops coming at me and within a minute it was pouring. I didn't have any good rain clothes with me, so I went home.
I don't mind one day of rain, but everything was still drying out from yesterday. I decided to wait until things cleared up after supper. That meant I didn't head out for the run until 8:30. I thought about running the Nor-Bath trail, but opted instead for the quiet neighborhood streets.
The weather was perfect. It was nice and cool as I started out. I cruised along at a comfortable pace. I encountered a few people walking (some with their dogs), but not many cars. It was a pleasant run. I have definitely become much stronger of a hill runner in just a short period of time. These short rolling hills of this route felt like nothing. Even went I ran faster, they were still relatively easy.
After about 15 minutes, I picked up the pace. I ran a solid 7:55 final mile which is perfect for a moderate pace. I decided to run to the 5K point. My total time was less than a minute and a half off my race time on that course a month ago. Not bad for a moderate training run.
The only problem I really encountered was some minor chafing again. I wore the shorts that bother me, hoping that they wouldn't be as much of a problem in the cooler weather. They were better this time, but still caused problems.
After the run, I drove to the biggest hill I know close by. I ran 5 X 8 second hill sprints. Those are meant to strengthened muscles and prevent injury. They seemed quite easy too though. The mountain running from a week ago really made me strong. Now, I just have to keep building on that.
I still really want to hit a trail this week. Therefore, I'll like head to Trexler tomorrow for my fartlek run. That is probably not the ideal place for a "speed play," but I can take it easy if I have to. Hopefully I can finally get on the marathon course on Friday.
3.1 miles - 25:23 (8:12 pace)
Originally, I was going to run down along the Lehigh River before dinner. The road I wanted to use was closed. By the time I got to the next location, I had to use the bathroom and there was none around. Eventually, I made it to the Route 33 Boat Launch. After the bathroom trip, I watched the water in the river briefly. It was high and actually flooded the westbound path. As I was watching the water, I heard a loud sound. I could actually hear the rain drops coming at me and within a minute it was pouring. I didn't have any good rain clothes with me, so I went home.
I don't mind one day of rain, but everything was still drying out from yesterday. I decided to wait until things cleared up after supper. That meant I didn't head out for the run until 8:30. I thought about running the Nor-Bath trail, but opted instead for the quiet neighborhood streets.
The weather was perfect. It was nice and cool as I started out. I cruised along at a comfortable pace. I encountered a few people walking (some with their dogs), but not many cars. It was a pleasant run. I have definitely become much stronger of a hill runner in just a short period of time. These short rolling hills of this route felt like nothing. Even went I ran faster, they were still relatively easy.
After about 15 minutes, I picked up the pace. I ran a solid 7:55 final mile which is perfect for a moderate pace. I decided to run to the 5K point. My total time was less than a minute and a half off my race time on that course a month ago. Not bad for a moderate training run.
The only problem I really encountered was some minor chafing again. I wore the shorts that bother me, hoping that they wouldn't be as much of a problem in the cooler weather. They were better this time, but still caused problems.
After the run, I drove to the biggest hill I know close by. I ran 5 X 8 second hill sprints. Those are meant to strengthened muscles and prevent injury. They seemed quite easy too though. The mountain running from a week ago really made me strong. Now, I just have to keep building on that.
I still really want to hit a trail this week. Therefore, I'll like head to Trexler tomorrow for my fartlek run. That is probably not the ideal place for a "speed play," but I can take it easy if I have to. Hopefully I can finally get on the marathon course on Friday.
3.1 miles - 25:23 (8:12 pace)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Playing in the Rain
Today was certainly a fun run. I'd been wanting to run in the rain for awhile. I did briefly on Saturday before it started pouring, but it wasn't raining much at the time. Today, it was coming down in buckets as I headed out the door.
I wanted to go to the Finish Line group run, but figured there was a good chance no one would show up. I didn't want to drive all the way to Emmaus to run by myself. Instead, I just ran the neighborhood loop for my easy five miles.
It was tough deciding what to wear. My water resistant jacket is just too heavy. It was pretty cold though, so I knew I'd freeze with just a shirt. I opted for the jacket. I figured that could keep my shirt dry too and help keep my nipples from chafing. I used some band aids over them as well.
I started off in the other neighborhood and cruised along. I love running in the rain. It just helps build character. I think my Garmin was screwed up because I didn't run hard and I definitely didn't run the first mile in under 8 minutes. Plus, when it hit one mile on my watch, I was at the 5K one mile marker on the course and I hadn't run that route. I was probably off about .1 miles or so.
The second mile went pretty good too. I kept running easy. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional breeze. That made it quite chilly. My head got wet because the hood annoys me when I run. I was impressed when I realized that one of the decent little hills on the route had no impact at all. I hardly even noticed it.
As I approached the halfway point, I actually saw a girl running up ahead. She was about 2 blocks in front. I was hoping to catch her and tell her that it was good to see someone else as crazy as me. I didn't gain any ground though. I ran up the steepest hill at this point and it seemed easy too.
I was amazed that I could keep running such a good pace with such easy over a rolling hill course. I must be getting stronger. Even the long hill which I struggled on just a month or two ago was nothing on this day. It wasn't taking much effort to climb. The mountain running of last week might've really strengthened me.
By the time I hit the last mile, it was getting a little uncomfortable. My soaked jacket was sticking to me and I could feel chafing beginning. It was good to be nearly done. I'm not sure how much longer I could've run in those conditions. Quite a few cars drove by me, but I noticed that I really shocked one guy with my devotion to be out there in those conditions.
As I was finishing up, I didn't want to wait for all the traffic to clear on Newburg Road. So, I decided to run along the road until I could cross. That was interesting because the shoulder was like a river running down along the road. My feet got drenched. Luckily, I was basically done with the run. It was fun, but a relief too. I'm glad to see my poor Monday run didn't carry over.
Tomorrow, is a 3 mile progression run with the last 10 minutes moderate. I was thinking of going to Trexler, but since it is so short, perhaps I'll just head to Jacobsburg. Maybe I'll go to Trexler on Thursday. It should still be raining tomorrow, so that could be interesting.
5.05 miles - 42.16 (822: pace)
I wanted to go to the Finish Line group run, but figured there was a good chance no one would show up. I didn't want to drive all the way to Emmaus to run by myself. Instead, I just ran the neighborhood loop for my easy five miles.
It was tough deciding what to wear. My water resistant jacket is just too heavy. It was pretty cold though, so I knew I'd freeze with just a shirt. I opted for the jacket. I figured that could keep my shirt dry too and help keep my nipples from chafing. I used some band aids over them as well.
I started off in the other neighborhood and cruised along. I love running in the rain. It just helps build character. I think my Garmin was screwed up because I didn't run hard and I definitely didn't run the first mile in under 8 minutes. Plus, when it hit one mile on my watch, I was at the 5K one mile marker on the course and I hadn't run that route. I was probably off about .1 miles or so.
The second mile went pretty good too. I kept running easy. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional breeze. That made it quite chilly. My head got wet because the hood annoys me when I run. I was impressed when I realized that one of the decent little hills on the route had no impact at all. I hardly even noticed it.
As I approached the halfway point, I actually saw a girl running up ahead. She was about 2 blocks in front. I was hoping to catch her and tell her that it was good to see someone else as crazy as me. I didn't gain any ground though. I ran up the steepest hill at this point and it seemed easy too.
I was amazed that I could keep running such a good pace with such easy over a rolling hill course. I must be getting stronger. Even the long hill which I struggled on just a month or two ago was nothing on this day. It wasn't taking much effort to climb. The mountain running of last week might've really strengthened me.
By the time I hit the last mile, it was getting a little uncomfortable. My soaked jacket was sticking to me and I could feel chafing beginning. It was good to be nearly done. I'm not sure how much longer I could've run in those conditions. Quite a few cars drove by me, but I noticed that I really shocked one guy with my devotion to be out there in those conditions.
As I was finishing up, I didn't want to wait for all the traffic to clear on Newburg Road. So, I decided to run along the road until I could cross. That was interesting because the shoulder was like a river running down along the road. My feet got drenched. Luckily, I was basically done with the run. It was fun, but a relief too. I'm glad to see my poor Monday run didn't carry over.
Tomorrow, is a 3 mile progression run with the last 10 minutes moderate. I was thinking of going to Trexler, but since it is so short, perhaps I'll just head to Jacobsburg. Maybe I'll go to Trexler on Thursday. It should still be raining tomorrow, so that could be interesting.
5.05 miles - 42.16 (822: pace)
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sluggish Tempo Run
I was still at the state park for my Monday run. I made a few morning trips to the bathroom before getting out to run. This time, I elected to run on the roads around the park. The plan was to run to the marina and back and anymore if needed. By the time I got out there, it was humid (although still pretty cloudy).
I started in the campground and there was a bit of a hill. Most of the route was fairly hilly. That whole area is a lot of rolling hills. Early on, I noticed a weird feeling in my shoe. It felt like a coin and it turned out to be a penny. I left it as good luck for the next runner.
The first mile wasn't bad. The goal of the tempo run was the final three miles at 10K pace plus one minute. That didn't seem to hard. I wanted to get under 8 minutes per each mile. I did end up struggling with the hills. I kept the pace, but seemed to have to work harder than I thought I'd have to.
The second tempo mile around the marina and lake was a bit of a struggle. I did stay under 8 again, but had to work hard to do so. The views of the lake were nice. It was still cloudy and humid. When I hit the final mile, I felt the urge to go to the bathroom. With none around, I tried to keep running. Eventually, I had to stop around a half mile to a mile from the campground. I started walking with less than half a mile to go. I was unable to keep up the tempo pace during the half mile either.
When I got to the campground and realized I still had a lot of walking left. I decided to run the half mile left. My urge to go to the bathroom left and didn't come back until later in the afternoon. It is weird how that happens sometimes. I finished up a little short of our camper after taking the long loop.
It was a disappointing day. I'm not sure why I felt so tired. I just didn't have any snap. Maybe it was the lack of sleep all weekend or all the walking around the race course. It could have also been attributed to my bathroom issues. Perhaps the mountain runs of last week did me in. If that's the case, I'll find out soon enough. Hopefully, I can chalk this up to just a bad run and it won't string together.
I'll probably head back to the Finish Line group run tomorrow after missing it last week. I am torn though because it starts at 6 PM and the replay of the Indy race is on at 7. I really want to see that. I have a decision to make. Either way, it'll be able 5 easy miles (obviously depending who shows up to dictate the pace).
4 miles - 33:21 (8:21 pace)
I started in the campground and there was a bit of a hill. Most of the route was fairly hilly. That whole area is a lot of rolling hills. Early on, I noticed a weird feeling in my shoe. It felt like a coin and it turned out to be a penny. I left it as good luck for the next runner.
The first mile wasn't bad. The goal of the tempo run was the final three miles at 10K pace plus one minute. That didn't seem to hard. I wanted to get under 8 minutes per each mile. I did end up struggling with the hills. I kept the pace, but seemed to have to work harder than I thought I'd have to.
The second tempo mile around the marina and lake was a bit of a struggle. I did stay under 8 again, but had to work hard to do so. The views of the lake were nice. It was still cloudy and humid. When I hit the final mile, I felt the urge to go to the bathroom. With none around, I tried to keep running. Eventually, I had to stop around a half mile to a mile from the campground. I started walking with less than half a mile to go. I was unable to keep up the tempo pace during the half mile either.
When I got to the campground and realized I still had a lot of walking left. I decided to run the half mile left. My urge to go to the bathroom left and didn't come back until later in the afternoon. It is weird how that happens sometimes. I finished up a little short of our camper after taking the long loop.
It was a disappointing day. I'm not sure why I felt so tired. I just didn't have any snap. Maybe it was the lack of sleep all weekend or all the walking around the race course. It could have also been attributed to my bathroom issues. Perhaps the mountain runs of last week did me in. If that's the case, I'll find out soon enough. Hopefully, I can chalk this up to just a bad run and it won't string together.
I'll probably head back to the Finish Line group run tomorrow after missing it last week. I am torn though because it starts at 6 PM and the replay of the Indy race is on at 7. I really want to see that. I have a decision to make. Either way, it'll be able 5 easy miles (obviously depending who shows up to dictate the pace).
4 miles - 33:21 (8:21 pace)
Just Beating the Storm
Saturday is my usual long run day. Things were a little different though. I was going to the Indy Car race in Baltimore and camping about an hour away in Cordorus State Park. I had to start early to do so. Because I was at a state park, I opted for a trail run. Originally, it was 8 miles, but I figured I wouldn't go that far.
There were a lot of horse trails and would've loved to have ran them, but I didn't want to get lost and not get to the race track on time. I opted instead for the trail that the park ranger suggested. It was only a mile and a half loop though, so I wasn't crazy about doing it multiple times. At least I wouldn't get lost though.
The start of the trail was stone and I thought it would be disappointing as I like dirt much better. It turned out to be a surprise though. Early on, there was some nice elevation. It had quite a few rolling hills around the cove at the lake. Nothing was too challenging, but it wasn't pancake flat either. Most of it was through the woods, but some was through grass. The path was mainly dirt.
Early on, I picked up on some painted arrows, so I followed them. It wasn't like the trail was hard to find. I tried to venture off at one point into a narrower trail, but that sort of disappeared. At one point, I turned to follow the arrows and they ran into the lake and said "swim." So I had to backtrack to get back on the trail.
The first loop covered about 1.7 miles with the brief add on. I wasn't going very fast because it was a trail. At that point, I really started telling myself that I'd be happy to do 5 or 6 miles rather than 8. During the second lap, I opted for another spur trail. This ended up going to a gravel road. When I got to some houses, I finally turned back around. This added significant distance to the second loop. I had some chafing of my nipples going on, so I took off my shirt.
It was cloudy throughout most of the run, but I noticed it got very dark after my second lap. At this point, I figured I only had time for one more lap anyway. I cruised around nicely, although I was getting a little tired. I pushed harder though. This time I went the opposite direction. I didn't want to overstress one side of my body and I also wanted to see things differently. This start with a tough uphill climb. Things were smooth after that though, until I hit about the final half mile.
I was covered by the trees, but I could hear the rain really picking up. It got louder and louder, as did the thunder. For most of the run, it was off in the distance. Now, it was right there. It really poured within the final quarter mile. I ran around the parking lot in the storm for the final .05 mile, so I could get to six miles.
I timed it perfectly as it got even worse as I jumped in the car. The rain was the heaviest yet and lightning and thunder were really rumbling. I'm sure glad I wasn't stuck on that trail or the horse trails at that point. It was great to be done, even if I didn't get as far as I wanted. The run was better than I expected.
6 miles - 1:01:45 (10:18 pace)
There were a lot of horse trails and would've loved to have ran them, but I didn't want to get lost and not get to the race track on time. I opted instead for the trail that the park ranger suggested. It was only a mile and a half loop though, so I wasn't crazy about doing it multiple times. At least I wouldn't get lost though.
The start of the trail was stone and I thought it would be disappointing as I like dirt much better. It turned out to be a surprise though. Early on, there was some nice elevation. It had quite a few rolling hills around the cove at the lake. Nothing was too challenging, but it wasn't pancake flat either. Most of it was through the woods, but some was through grass. The path was mainly dirt.
Early on, I picked up on some painted arrows, so I followed them. It wasn't like the trail was hard to find. I tried to venture off at one point into a narrower trail, but that sort of disappeared. At one point, I turned to follow the arrows and they ran into the lake and said "swim." So I had to backtrack to get back on the trail.
The first loop covered about 1.7 miles with the brief add on. I wasn't going very fast because it was a trail. At that point, I really started telling myself that I'd be happy to do 5 or 6 miles rather than 8. During the second lap, I opted for another spur trail. This ended up going to a gravel road. When I got to some houses, I finally turned back around. This added significant distance to the second loop. I had some chafing of my nipples going on, so I took off my shirt.
It was cloudy throughout most of the run, but I noticed it got very dark after my second lap. At this point, I figured I only had time for one more lap anyway. I cruised around nicely, although I was getting a little tired. I pushed harder though. This time I went the opposite direction. I didn't want to overstress one side of my body and I also wanted to see things differently. This start with a tough uphill climb. Things were smooth after that though, until I hit about the final half mile.
I was covered by the trees, but I could hear the rain really picking up. It got louder and louder, as did the thunder. For most of the run, it was off in the distance. Now, it was right there. It really poured within the final quarter mile. I ran around the parking lot in the storm for the final .05 mile, so I could get to six miles.
I timed it perfectly as it got even worse as I jumped in the car. The rain was the heaviest yet and lightning and thunder were really rumbling. I'm sure glad I wasn't stuck on that trail or the horse trails at that point. It was great to be done, even if I didn't get as far as I wanted. The run was better than I expected.
6 miles - 1:01:45 (10:18 pace)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wind Gap Appalachian Trail Run
In keeping with this week's tradition, I decided to do another climbing run. This time, I ran the Appalachian Trail south from Wind Gap. I'd hiked some of this, but never run it. It's tough because the first two thirds of a mile is an uphill climb.
Luckily, there are switchbacks that make the climb easier. That said, it is still a tough climb. One nice thing about Bear Creek is it starts out easy so you can warmup for a little while. Today, there was no warmup. It was straight into the grind uphill. It was also good that I hiked it before, so I knew what to expect. The climb was similar to the other runs this week in terms of elevation change, but the starting and finishing elevations themselves were much higher. My ears even popped during the run.
The start wasn't too rocky, but once the climb was over, it was brutal. There were rocks everywhere. Almost no stretch of the route was runnable. Basically, it was a slow shuffle along the technical trail. Not only are there so many rocks, but a lot of them actually point upward. Those can just destroy your feet if you land on them wrong. The run was at least good practice, but the slow pace required little effort. The real challenge was mental. You have to stay focused there. You can daydream or you'll fall and possibly get hurt.
Some sections were so rocky that I had no choice but to walk them. Even walking them proved challenging at times. I did find that I could go uphill much better through the rocks than downhill. It was much easier to see and pick your spots when going uphill. For awhile, I considered turning around and questioned why I was even running this. I just decided to keep going anyway.
There were a couple views. The one rock view to the south was kind of disappointing. There were too many trees. Right as I was about to hit the halfway point and turn around, I came across a pipeline. This opening made for amazing views to the north and south. It was too bright or I might've even seen the area around my house. I'll definitely have to head there again, whether during a run or a hike. I want to get some pictures too.
I was relieved when I finally hit the turnaround. It was slightly uphill and not too rocky for awhile, so I almost actually ran. I knew that the final two thirds of a mile would be downhill. That gave me something to look forward to. I was also happy that I didn't have to eat anymore spiderwebs. I must've been the first person through that section today because I hit web after web. I didn't see any other people, so I guess it made sense.
I was actually tired by the end, but that was really more because I was running so long. The only time I ran for that much time was my trail run at Hickory Run a few weeks back. I'll run this every now and then, but it definitely won't be a staple of my workouts. It could make a good recovery run I suppose and good practice for technical trail running, but it isn't going to push me to the limits physically.
I am going to the Indy Car race in Baltimore this week. We are camping at a state park in southern Pennsylvania. I'll at least get my Saturday long run in there. Mostly likely, that'll be a Saturday night trail run. I brought my headlamp. I need to practice some night running anyway for my upcoming night trail race. It's been a fun week thus far with 6326 of total ascent. Saturday, I won't be climbing that much though.
5 miles - 1:12:41 (14:32 pace)
Luckily, there are switchbacks that make the climb easier. That said, it is still a tough climb. One nice thing about Bear Creek is it starts out easy so you can warmup for a little while. Today, there was no warmup. It was straight into the grind uphill. It was also good that I hiked it before, so I knew what to expect. The climb was similar to the other runs this week in terms of elevation change, but the starting and finishing elevations themselves were much higher. My ears even popped during the run.
The start wasn't too rocky, but once the climb was over, it was brutal. There were rocks everywhere. Almost no stretch of the route was runnable. Basically, it was a slow shuffle along the technical trail. Not only are there so many rocks, but a lot of them actually point upward. Those can just destroy your feet if you land on them wrong. The run was at least good practice, but the slow pace required little effort. The real challenge was mental. You have to stay focused there. You can daydream or you'll fall and possibly get hurt.
Some sections were so rocky that I had no choice but to walk them. Even walking them proved challenging at times. I did find that I could go uphill much better through the rocks than downhill. It was much easier to see and pick your spots when going uphill. For awhile, I considered turning around and questioned why I was even running this. I just decided to keep going anyway.
There were a couple views. The one rock view to the south was kind of disappointing. There were too many trees. Right as I was about to hit the halfway point and turn around, I came across a pipeline. This opening made for amazing views to the north and south. It was too bright or I might've even seen the area around my house. I'll definitely have to head there again, whether during a run or a hike. I want to get some pictures too.
I was relieved when I finally hit the turnaround. It was slightly uphill and not too rocky for awhile, so I almost actually ran. I knew that the final two thirds of a mile would be downhill. That gave me something to look forward to. I was also happy that I didn't have to eat anymore spiderwebs. I must've been the first person through that section today because I hit web after web. I didn't see any other people, so I guess it made sense.
I was actually tired by the end, but that was really more because I was running so long. The only time I ran for that much time was my trail run at Hickory Run a few weeks back. I'll run this every now and then, but it definitely won't be a staple of my workouts. It could make a good recovery run I suppose and good practice for technical trail running, but it isn't going to push me to the limits physically.
I am going to the Indy Car race in Baltimore this week. We are camping at a state park in southern Pennsylvania. I'll at least get my Saturday long run in there. Mostly likely, that'll be a Saturday night trail run. I brought my headlamp. I need to practice some night running anyway for my upcoming night trail race. It's been a fun week thus far with 6326 of total ascent. Saturday, I won't be climbing that much though.
5 miles - 1:12:41 (14:32 pace)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)