Yesterday afternoon's run was super hot and humid. Today, it was cloudy and cool. It was basically a 20 degree difference when I headed out. Not much of a chance to adapt to the heat.
My parents wanted to go out to dinner, so I kind of had a tight late afternoon window to work with. I got to Mill Race Park after 3 PM. I was hoping to at least run 10 miles and maybe stretch it to 12 miles.
I haven't been over there in awhile. I couldn't quite remember how far the route was. I decided to first head out toward Tatamy. That direction is much shorter and I could get it out of the way.
I was still slightly sore from yesterday. The beginning of this run certainly wasn't fast and I didn't feel sharp. In fact, I had some chafing problems from yesterday that slowed me down today. I was hoping they wouldn't get worse, or I might have to quit.
I went out to Tatamy and noticed that the one stone section of the trail is now paved. That is great and I'm glad for that. That is particularly awesome for biking on this trail. I went out to the end of the trail and it was just over a mile into the run.
I cruised along back. With the soreness from chafing, the first 3 miles were slow. They were all over 8 minutes. I got back to my car and was getting a little hot. I was slightly over 2 miles at that point. I decided to just run shirtless. That worked out much better. I was still sweating, but not too bad.
I went back out and headed south, on the main part of the trail. It was beautiful with all the leaves on the trees and the creek alongside. I wish I felt better. My chafing problem did seem to go away after a few miles, or I got used to it.
There were a few people on the trail, but it wasn't too crowded. Maybe the threat of rain kept some of them away. I did encounter a couple runners too. It wasn't long before I was at Crayola and near the end of the trail.
I decided to keep going and run until I at least got to mile 5. I knew that I would be adding on to this run at the end. I figured that the full route would give me about 8 miles. I went on the road a bit and then turned around.
At the end of the trail, there is a singletrack through the woods. I went out on that about a tenth of a mile or two. I then headed back. I hit mile 5.5 very soon after that.
Going back seemed kind of challenging for my legs. They sure weren't sharp. I thought they would feel better than this at this point in the week. I kept going over the road crossings.
There is an option to take another short pavement segment. This has some rolling hills and adds about a half mile to the run. It is nice and scenic. I ran there and went back. I put in my third sub 7:30 mile at this point. I came out with about 2 miles left.
Before long, I was back at Mill Race Park. I needed almost a full mile yet, to get to mile 10. I ran back out toward Tatamy. Before the road crossing into Tatamy, I turned around and headed back. I finished at the park with a 7:23 mile. It was a solid run.
I still wanted more mileage. Therefore, I headed back out after dark. The plan was to run 5 easy miles around my neighborhoods. It has got quite chilly, so I wore a long sleeve shirt.
I started with a loop around my neighborhood. I had rolled up my sleeves, but then I decided to pull them down. At least I could sort of try some heat adapting.
There was quite a bit of mist out. Since I ended the first loop in front of my house, I decided to get my new visor to keep the rain out of my face. That worked good.
I went down the the elementary school. There were two women and they were walking like five dogs. One of the dogs followed me, but had a toy in its mouth and didn't do anything. I was glad for that, since I wasn't sure. They certainly didn't expect to encounter people after dark.
I decided that I would run the Blue Eagle 5k course. This was nice and slow and comfortable. I wanted to do this run to break in my new shoes. I bought a great pair of shoes in December. I tried to get the same pair in March, but I ended up with an older model. I didn't like those, so I went back to the newer model this time. They worked great.
I did have some minor initial soreness. As I got used to the shoes, my legs began to feel awesome. I love new shoes.
I also enjoy night running and had fun, even with some light rain. The miles were quite slow, so they seemed to take awhile. It was good to get to 2.5 miles and then mile 3.
I headed back toward home. There were quite a few cars to avoid. I figured that my reflective vest and headlamp were good though.
I got toward the end of the 5k course loop and then headed out on another short loop. I normally run this one the other way, but today I decided to run it in reverse. This was a good way to add distance. I actually ended up hitting mile 5 and finished up just before the school.
I'm not sure what I'm doing tomorrow. I want to run hard at some point. We are supposed to get some rain. I may have to run twice again. I'm also meeting someone for a bike ride in the evening, if the weather is still good. I'd love to put in 12-17 miles.
Afternoon Run - 10 miles - 1:18:30 (7:51 pace)
Night Run - 5 miles - 41:43 (8:21 pace)
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Heat Adapting with 15 Miles
It hasn't been very warm yet this summer. That has made training for my summer marathon kind of tricky. I really need to get used to the heat and humidity. I learned this the hard way with the half marathon on Sunday.
I took a much needed day off yesterday, after 9 straight days of running. I wanted to try to get in a run in the morning today, but I was hoping for 15 miles. I knew that that would take about 2 hours and be tough to do before work. Instead, I headed out in the afternoon.
All day long it was cloudy. There was a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Of course, right as I began the run (around 3:15), the sun came out. I ran shirtless, since I figured that it would be hot. That was a good choice, other than all the bugs I was covered with after the run.
I wanted to run somewhere different, so that I could enjoy the run. I decided to run the D&L section south of Easton. I like this section. It is pretty, next to the Delaware River and it is underutilized. It's kind of a peaceful run on my own.
I headed several miles south of Easton, to a park on the Delaware Canal State Park. I filled my handheld and was off. I wanted to start by heading south. The farther out I could go, the better. I wasn't sure with the heat though.
The first mile was great. It was an 8:10 and I was taking it easy. I didn't look at my watch too often and it was relaxing. I love running in new places. I ran this part of the trail twice in the fall, but haven't been back there since.
The last time I ran in the heat, I pushed too much and fell apart. Today, it was all about running easy and for a long time. One of the tricky things was that I didn't eat much lunch. I also knew that going out I wouldn't have any water stops. My only water would be that which was in my handheld.
I cruised along and it was tough at times. There's some shade, but a lot of the trail is exposed to the sun. I was frying for a bit. Running through the small town of Reigelsville, about 3 miles into the run was nice. It's a cute, little place. They are doing work on some bridges overhead.
All my miles were now under 8 minutes. They weren't too far under though, so I was holding back. I went by a Strawberry patch at one point. That was neat, but it was very hot in this section. I made it to 4 miles, then 5 miles and kept going.
Finally at mile 6, I decided that I better turn around. I was getting quite hot and sweaty. I still had about half of my water. I wasn't drinking a lot of it. I didn't want to get stuck too far out though.
I knew that the running in the heat on the way back would be the toughest. I just tried to stay focused on the upcoming mile. I went back past the Strawberry patch around 7.5 or 8 miles and was dieing. I tried to drink a little more.
I was happy with each passing mile. I was starting to get slightly sore. My legs were bothering me a bit, as was my back. This is a different surface. It's mostly stone, but not completely even. There is dirt too. At least it is very flat. That made for consistent miles.
I was actually surprised that my pace was getting even faster too. I adapted to the heat a little better. I was thrilled to make it to mile 10. I knew I could tough out the final 2 miles back to my car.
I had most of this trail to myself. I don't think I saw more than 10 people total during the whole run. Only 1 other runner was out there. He was moving fairly well. He must've been fresh.
The last mile back to the car was a bit tough. I was getting tired and sore. I battled on though. Finally, I was back to the park. I thought about stopping at my car, but decided to just quickly fill my handheld and go. All I needed was some water.
I filled up and went back out. Without much of a break, it was tough. I just needed to get out 1.5 miles and then turn around. I only had 3 miles left. That was easier said than done though. It was a battle.
This time I headed north. It was very hot in that direction. I struggled a lot. I thought I was slowing down, but my times didn't indicate it. Getting to the turnaround was a big relief. One thing that was nice during the middle and end of this run was that there was a breeze. That provided some relief.
I sputtered along in the final mile and a half. I didn't look at my watch too often during the run, but now, I kept taking a peek. The last half mile seemed like forever. Finally, I finished up at the park. I was very hot and tired and a little sore.
This was a tough run and just what I needed. I was happy to get that many miles in and happy to run a sub 8 minute pace. I'm still not hopeful that I'll be able to run a marathon well next month, but at least I can say I'm trying. Some more long runs like this in the heat and I'll at least adapt better. Whether it is enough though, remains to be seen.
I need a lot of miles this week. I'm hoping to break in my new shoes tomorrow morning. That would be a 5 miler. I'd like to run 10-12 in the afternoon or evening. I was considering a 5k in the evening, but it is in Harrisburg, so it isn't likely.
15 miles - 1:56:57 (7:48 pace)
I took a much needed day off yesterday, after 9 straight days of running. I wanted to try to get in a run in the morning today, but I was hoping for 15 miles. I knew that that would take about 2 hours and be tough to do before work. Instead, I headed out in the afternoon.
All day long it was cloudy. There was a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Of course, right as I began the run (around 3:15), the sun came out. I ran shirtless, since I figured that it would be hot. That was a good choice, other than all the bugs I was covered with after the run.
I wanted to run somewhere different, so that I could enjoy the run. I decided to run the D&L section south of Easton. I like this section. It is pretty, next to the Delaware River and it is underutilized. It's kind of a peaceful run on my own.
I headed several miles south of Easton, to a park on the Delaware Canal State Park. I filled my handheld and was off. I wanted to start by heading south. The farther out I could go, the better. I wasn't sure with the heat though.
The first mile was great. It was an 8:10 and I was taking it easy. I didn't look at my watch too often and it was relaxing. I love running in new places. I ran this part of the trail twice in the fall, but haven't been back there since.
The last time I ran in the heat, I pushed too much and fell apart. Today, it was all about running easy and for a long time. One of the tricky things was that I didn't eat much lunch. I also knew that going out I wouldn't have any water stops. My only water would be that which was in my handheld.
I cruised along and it was tough at times. There's some shade, but a lot of the trail is exposed to the sun. I was frying for a bit. Running through the small town of Reigelsville, about 3 miles into the run was nice. It's a cute, little place. They are doing work on some bridges overhead.
All my miles were now under 8 minutes. They weren't too far under though, so I was holding back. I went by a Strawberry patch at one point. That was neat, but it was very hot in this section. I made it to 4 miles, then 5 miles and kept going.
Finally at mile 6, I decided that I better turn around. I was getting quite hot and sweaty. I still had about half of my water. I wasn't drinking a lot of it. I didn't want to get stuck too far out though.
I knew that the running in the heat on the way back would be the toughest. I just tried to stay focused on the upcoming mile. I went back past the Strawberry patch around 7.5 or 8 miles and was dieing. I tried to drink a little more.
I was happy with each passing mile. I was starting to get slightly sore. My legs were bothering me a bit, as was my back. This is a different surface. It's mostly stone, but not completely even. There is dirt too. At least it is very flat. That made for consistent miles.
I was actually surprised that my pace was getting even faster too. I adapted to the heat a little better. I was thrilled to make it to mile 10. I knew I could tough out the final 2 miles back to my car.
I had most of this trail to myself. I don't think I saw more than 10 people total during the whole run. Only 1 other runner was out there. He was moving fairly well. He must've been fresh.
The last mile back to the car was a bit tough. I was getting tired and sore. I battled on though. Finally, I was back to the park. I thought about stopping at my car, but decided to just quickly fill my handheld and go. All I needed was some water.
I filled up and went back out. Without much of a break, it was tough. I just needed to get out 1.5 miles and then turn around. I only had 3 miles left. That was easier said than done though. It was a battle.
This time I headed north. It was very hot in that direction. I struggled a lot. I thought I was slowing down, but my times didn't indicate it. Getting to the turnaround was a big relief. One thing that was nice during the middle and end of this run was that there was a breeze. That provided some relief.
I sputtered along in the final mile and a half. I didn't look at my watch too often during the run, but now, I kept taking a peek. The last half mile seemed like forever. Finally, I finished up at the park. I was very hot and tired and a little sore.
This was a tough run and just what I needed. I was happy to get that many miles in and happy to run a sub 8 minute pace. I'm still not hopeful that I'll be able to run a marathon well next month, but at least I can say I'm trying. Some more long runs like this in the heat and I'll at least adapt better. Whether it is enough though, remains to be seen.
I need a lot of miles this week. I'm hoping to break in my new shoes tomorrow morning. That would be a 5 miler. I'd like to run 10-12 in the afternoon or evening. I was considering a 5k in the evening, but it is in Harrisburg, so it isn't likely.
15 miles - 1:56:57 (7:48 pace)
Sunday, June 8, 2014
ODDyssey Half Marathon 2014
Today, I headed down to my old stomping grounds of Philadelphia, to run the ODDyssey Half Marathon. I think its first year was my last year living in the city. It has grown in popularity. This was my first time doing it.
Even though I have friends down there, I didn't bother staying over anyone's house. That meant that I had to leave at 4:30 AM. I hate mornings, so that was quite a chore. I couldn't fall asleep last night, so that made it even worse. I got maybe 4 hours of sleep. I had about that same amount on Friday night too.
A bunch of friends were running it. Kelley was nice enough to get my bib for me (actually her brother did). I was grateful for that. I met up with her and the other friends before the race. I had to run back to my car to get changed. Earlier, I was lucky to find a bathroom on the way down. I wouldn't say I was rushed, but I didn't have a lot of time to spare before the race.
I managed maybe a half mile warmup. I really was hoping for 2 miles or more to get the legs going. I did some strides too. At least I was able to do something. It was a fairly good size half marathon, but not too big. The weather seemed nice at the start, but it is summer. I wore a singlet with my compression shorts.
The first wave was a sub 7 minute pace. I was thinking that I'd easily do it, so I lined up there. I didn't line up too far to the front. I was hoping that might hold me back. Instead, it just meant that some people were in the way. One guy that I had to go around was going super slow. That was annoying as hell. I guess the start at the back was even worse.
I was clear pretty quickly and I got into a groove. I was breathing a little hard and the first mile was faster than I would've liked, but that is the norm. It was a 6:11. Usually, I can start hard and then slow down and get into a groove.
This start was pretty flat and a nice way to begin. After that, I knew there would be some downhill too. I didn't think the course would be too hilly. I slowed in this second mile, but already I knew it was probably going to be a tough day. The legs didn't feel sharp and I was tired. Even before the gun went off, I felt very tired. It probably didn't help that I ended the week with a hard trail run yesterday.
I continued on and was quite a bit under goal pace. I heard people yelling for the runners in super hero costumes behind me. I figured that it must be my friend Orlin. I thought he would pass me, but he never did.
The first couple miles were definitely solid, but it was taking more work than I had hoped. The same thing happened in my PR half back in the winter though. I felt like I might be going too hard at mile 5 then, but I was able to keep at it and just keep pushing through. I thought I might do the same today.
I knew one of the main hills was the climb up the Strawberry Mansion Bridge. I was running near a few people and really hammered it to get to the top of it. I thought it was flat after that. I was wrong as there was still a gradual climb on the east side of Fairmount Park. This was definitely more climbing than I was expecting.
I should've taken water before the bridge. That was about the only water stop I skipped all day. I wasn't able to drink much water at each stop. I think I got more on my singlet. I probably should've carried a handheld.
Coming through the east side of the park wasn't easy. I was already starting to feel the effects of the heat and humidity. Really, it wasn't that bad, but at this fast pace, it was very difficult for me. I'm terrible in the heat.
At one point, we ended up running through some cones. I think that we weren't directed through the correct route. That makes sense because my GPS ended up being short. I followed the group though, since I was unsure of the route.
I came through what was the halfway point at 6.2 miles and just over 41 minutes. That was solid, but again I don't think we ran far enough. It was nice to finally head downhill and on to Kelly Drive.
I felt like crap at this point and I think a few people passed me. I was still in PR range, but I was fading fast. The road on Kelly Drive was fairly flat, but I was still struggling with the heat.
At this point, I decided to try to slow down a little and play it safe. I didn't want to overdo it with the tough weather. My pace didn't drop too much at this point. Since I used to live in this area and ran the route all the time, I visually knew how far I had to go. That was discouraging because it seemed very far.
I couldn't wait to get to miles 8, 9 and 10. I think around mile 8.5, I was still on PR pace. There was no way I was going to sustain it though. The weird thing is that at this point, I was fading, but the people up ahead weren't pulling away. In fact, I actually even passed a guy.
It was good to get to Falls Bridge and be heading back. It was also good to have people running around me for a change. At least I wasn't doing this run on my own. The only people I was encountering now were blowing by me though. Someone else went past and asked me about my distance and I told him my watch was short too.
This section on West River Drive seemed like forever. I was alone for a lot of it. There were some bikers out and few spectators. I saw some cute girls here and there. That was a nice distraction from my suffering.
I just sputtered along. I had slowed down already, but body was telling me to slow down even more. I wasn't breathing heavy and I had no soreness. My body was just beat and exhausted. My pace got slower and slower.
I was thrilled to be in the last 5k. However, I ran all the rest of this alone. The other part that sucked was knowing about the big hill at the end. It took a long time, but finally I got to that point.
It was good to nearly be done with this disaster. I was actually still on pace for a sub 1:30 half, but I knew I'd never get up that hill that fast, so I didn't push. The hill was tough, but I was just cruising up it at this point, so it wasn't too difficult.
I picked up slightly on the flats toward the end. Much as I suspected, I was going to come up short on the distance end of things. That was discouraging. However, it did cause me to break 1:30. If we didn't end up on that shortcut, I would've run about a 1:30:30.
I was very disappointed with my time, but I had so many factors going against me. I didn't let it bother me too much. Kelley struggled too and was pissed at the end. Few people did well. Even the winner (who won St. Luke's) said he had trouble with the heat.
I just can't handle long distances with any kind of heat. It has been kind of cool here so far this year too, so I haven't had a lot of chances to adapt. I really need to work on that. After today's race, I'm not very confident in my marathon attempt in a month and a half. I'll lower my expectations and just go up there and run it and see what happens.
Even if the course did run to the correct distance, I still would've run my second best time ever. Being able to crash and still post that kind of time isn't too bad. I was surprised to see that I was 30th overall and 4th in my age group. I didn't feel like I placed that high. They had nearly 3,000 people.
With all my friends there, it was fun hanging out after the race. They had free beer and I did not. Then, four of us went to brunch. It was pretty late in the afternoon by then, but it was delicious nonetheless.
I've run for 9 straight days, so tomorrow will be a much needed day off. Then, I have to really get after it. I want to put in 3 very good weeks in a row. I'd love to hit 80+ miles every week. Then, I can taper and rest and see what happens. I'm hoping for a fairly long run on Tuesday.
12.87 miles - 1:28:53 (6:54 pace)
Even though I have friends down there, I didn't bother staying over anyone's house. That meant that I had to leave at 4:30 AM. I hate mornings, so that was quite a chore. I couldn't fall asleep last night, so that made it even worse. I got maybe 4 hours of sleep. I had about that same amount on Friday night too.A bunch of friends were running it. Kelley was nice enough to get my bib for me (actually her brother did). I was grateful for that. I met up with her and the other friends before the race. I had to run back to my car to get changed. Earlier, I was lucky to find a bathroom on the way down. I wouldn't say I was rushed, but I didn't have a lot of time to spare before the race.
I managed maybe a half mile warmup. I really was hoping for 2 miles or more to get the legs going. I did some strides too. At least I was able to do something. It was a fairly good size half marathon, but not too big. The weather seemed nice at the start, but it is summer. I wore a singlet with my compression shorts.
The first wave was a sub 7 minute pace. I was thinking that I'd easily do it, so I lined up there. I didn't line up too far to the front. I was hoping that might hold me back. Instead, it just meant that some people were in the way. One guy that I had to go around was going super slow. That was annoying as hell. I guess the start at the back was even worse.
I was clear pretty quickly and I got into a groove. I was breathing a little hard and the first mile was faster than I would've liked, but that is the norm. It was a 6:11. Usually, I can start hard and then slow down and get into a groove.
This start was pretty flat and a nice way to begin. After that, I knew there would be some downhill too. I didn't think the course would be too hilly. I slowed in this second mile, but already I knew it was probably going to be a tough day. The legs didn't feel sharp and I was tired. Even before the gun went off, I felt very tired. It probably didn't help that I ended the week with a hard trail run yesterday.
I continued on and was quite a bit under goal pace. I heard people yelling for the runners in super hero costumes behind me. I figured that it must be my friend Orlin. I thought he would pass me, but he never did.
The first couple miles were definitely solid, but it was taking more work than I had hoped. The same thing happened in my PR half back in the winter though. I felt like I might be going too hard at mile 5 then, but I was able to keep at it and just keep pushing through. I thought I might do the same today.
I knew one of the main hills was the climb up the Strawberry Mansion Bridge. I was running near a few people and really hammered it to get to the top of it. I thought it was flat after that. I was wrong as there was still a gradual climb on the east side of Fairmount Park. This was definitely more climbing than I was expecting.
I should've taken water before the bridge. That was about the only water stop I skipped all day. I wasn't able to drink much water at each stop. I think I got more on my singlet. I probably should've carried a handheld.
Coming through the east side of the park wasn't easy. I was already starting to feel the effects of the heat and humidity. Really, it wasn't that bad, but at this fast pace, it was very difficult for me. I'm terrible in the heat.
At one point, we ended up running through some cones. I think that we weren't directed through the correct route. That makes sense because my GPS ended up being short. I followed the group though, since I was unsure of the route.
I came through what was the halfway point at 6.2 miles and just over 41 minutes. That was solid, but again I don't think we ran far enough. It was nice to finally head downhill and on to Kelly Drive.
I felt like crap at this point and I think a few people passed me. I was still in PR range, but I was fading fast. The road on Kelly Drive was fairly flat, but I was still struggling with the heat.
At this point, I decided to try to slow down a little and play it safe. I didn't want to overdo it with the tough weather. My pace didn't drop too much at this point. Since I used to live in this area and ran the route all the time, I visually knew how far I had to go. That was discouraging because it seemed very far.
I couldn't wait to get to miles 8, 9 and 10. I think around mile 8.5, I was still on PR pace. There was no way I was going to sustain it though. The weird thing is that at this point, I was fading, but the people up ahead weren't pulling away. In fact, I actually even passed a guy.
It was good to get to Falls Bridge and be heading back. It was also good to have people running around me for a change. At least I wasn't doing this run on my own. The only people I was encountering now were blowing by me though. Someone else went past and asked me about my distance and I told him my watch was short too.
This section on West River Drive seemed like forever. I was alone for a lot of it. There were some bikers out and few spectators. I saw some cute girls here and there. That was a nice distraction from my suffering.
I just sputtered along. I had slowed down already, but body was telling me to slow down even more. I wasn't breathing heavy and I had no soreness. My body was just beat and exhausted. My pace got slower and slower.
I was thrilled to be in the last 5k. However, I ran all the rest of this alone. The other part that sucked was knowing about the big hill at the end. It took a long time, but finally I got to that point.
It was good to nearly be done with this disaster. I was actually still on pace for a sub 1:30 half, but I knew I'd never get up that hill that fast, so I didn't push. The hill was tough, but I was just cruising up it at this point, so it wasn't too difficult.
I picked up slightly on the flats toward the end. Much as I suspected, I was going to come up short on the distance end of things. That was discouraging. However, it did cause me to break 1:30. If we didn't end up on that shortcut, I would've run about a 1:30:30.
I was very disappointed with my time, but I had so many factors going against me. I didn't let it bother me too much. Kelley struggled too and was pissed at the end. Few people did well. Even the winner (who won St. Luke's) said he had trouble with the heat.
I just can't handle long distances with any kind of heat. It has been kind of cool here so far this year too, so I haven't had a lot of chances to adapt. I really need to work on that. After today's race, I'm not very confident in my marathon attempt in a month and a half. I'll lower my expectations and just go up there and run it and see what happens.
Even if the course did run to the correct distance, I still would've run my second best time ever. Being able to crash and still post that kind of time isn't too bad. I was surprised to see that I was 30th overall and 4th in my age group. I didn't feel like I placed that high. They had nearly 3,000 people.
With all my friends there, it was fun hanging out after the race. They had free beer and I did not. Then, four of us went to brunch. It was pretty late in the afternoon by then, but it was delicious nonetheless.
I've run for 9 straight days, so tomorrow will be a much needed day off. Then, I have to really get after it. I want to put in 3 very good weeks in a row. I'd love to hit 80+ miles every week. Then, I can taper and rest and see what happens. I'm hoping for a fairly long run on Tuesday.
12.87 miles - 1:28:53 (6:54 pace)
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Hill Week 2014: Trexler
You should always save the best for last. I had to end the first ever Hill Week with a run at Trexler. It was National Trails Day. It was a perfect morning when we got started on the 8.5 mile loop. I didn't sleep much. We had a nice turnout. The only disappointing thing was that Jerry was the only runner new to Trexler and even he wasn't really that new. Apparently, he had trouble finding the loop on a few times out there. I was hoping to introduce some other to the awesomeness of Trexler.
I started off leading the group. I knew Aaron and Pat would be ahead of me shortly. Pat went by on the first steep hill. I was hoping to run a lot of the trail. I have a half marathon on Sunday, so the plan was to take it easy.
Aaron took some more time to get by me. He went past on the shorter climb by the bison pen. Jerry, who was running with his dog Boone, stayed behind, but had me in his sights.
As I was rounding one turn, Pat came out of the woods. I guess he went to the bathroom and Aaron passed him. They then ran together. They were up ahead, but I could see them.
A mountain biker came onto the trail from the road, before we did the long climb. I gradually caught him on this climb. As I passed him, he said, "you are making me look bad." I responded with, "those guys up ahead are making you look worse." I think Jerry might've passed the guy as well.
Aaron seemed to take off uphill, but then Pat caught back up. I wasn't losing much ground to them and that really helped. Mile 2 clicked off and I saw it was a 7:44. I almost broke out laughing. I don't know if I've ever run a mile that fast at Trexler. Plus, that was a mile with the uphill. I didn't think I was going too hard either.
We got to the view area and I took some photos. I kept going though. I still had those two in my field of view and could see Jerry and Boone behind me as well. The others were probably fairly far behind at this point, thanks to the fast pace.
Once again, I was fooled by the short hills before the big one. I didn't walk them though. I kept going. I ran all the way to the big hill, which is close to 4 miles. I really wanted to try to run up that one too.
Pat began walking and I actually caught him. However, I wasn't gaining much by running, so I decided to just walk. I'm a little more confident now that I could actually run up that entire hill on its own. Before this run, I wasn't so sure.
Aaron and Pat went ahead. I kept going along. I had been amazed that my pace was at almost 8 minutes flat, before the big climb. Now, of course it was much slower than that. Still, it was much faster than I had ever run this route.
I ran up the second steep hill and that wasn't too bad. I just kept plugging along. Aaron and Pat broke off to do the 10 mile loop. I couldn't stop now, because I was on record pace. I recovered pretty well on the downhills.
The creek crossing was fun. Of course I couldn't run that part. I had been recovering pretty well in between the hills. I knew the long uphill after the road crossing would be tough and it was. I plugged along and made it up that.
That part had be a chore and then the grass hill starts right after that. I didn't even give the grass hill a chance. I began walking briefly. I probably should've tried running because it really isn't that steep. I didn't waste too much time walking. I did notice that Jerry and Boone had fallen back a bit.
After the grass hill, I knew quite a bit of recovery would be coming and that I could run some pretty fast times too. I got back to running an 8:34 mile at one point. I had 2 sub 8 minute miles throughout this run. On the one downhill, I flew past Wayne and his wife. They were running the shorter route. I also had to dodge a few small dogs that a woman was walking on the trail. Apparently Boone had some fun with them.
I kept focusing on trying to run and run more. I started figuring out paces in my head as I was around mile 6. I began to realize that I was going so quickly that I should comfortably run under 1:20 for the route. The 1:25 that I ran last month there was a previous record for me, so I was happy with that.
I crossed the creek on the road section. Then it was through the muddy part. My somewhat tired legs didn't enjoy that much. I hoped that they could still get me up the long climb. I had no such luck though, as I had to hike again briefly.
I lost some time while doing this, but not too much. By the top, I only had about 1.5 miles left. I knew the dirt/stone road section would be fast and it was. I was glad I knew the route, because the sides of the trail have grown so much that I could've missed the sign to turn.
I cruised along the rolling uphill and neared the final half mile. I was amazed that my overall pace was still run at sub 9 minutes. I didn't think I could do a loop that fast around there.
I kept running as I crossed the road into the final section. I knew I had one very steep hill left. I really wanted to run up it, to finish the run. However, as I got near the top of it, I was staggering and breathing heavy, so I opted to play it safe and walk. I did that briefly and then ran the last short hill to finish.
If you don't count the creek crossing, I only walked 4 times total. All of them were fairly brief too. There was far more running than I've usually done at Trexler. If I had to guess, I'd say that I ran about 8.25 of the 8.45 miles. I surprised the heck out of myself, as I finished in under 1:15 minutes. That crushed my personal best there by over 10 minutes!
Since Aaron and Pat did the longer loop, they didn't come back yet. Jerry and Boone were back first. I was happy for them, because I figured that he didn't get too lost. Aaron and Pat then came in, followed by Tim and Jeff and then the rest of the group. I waited at the end in my chair to take photos of everyone finishing.
Although I ran harder than I should've, it was an awesome run. It was a fun day to end a great week. I was glad I was able to push myself. It was also one of the few times that I've actually run there and not been sore afterward. I think having good trail shoes now, has helped my feet a lot too. They always used to be sore after these runs.
I will definitely do this Hill Week again. Since I wasn't running hard too many days, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be. It was productive anyway. Tomorrow, I'm heading down to Philly bright and early for the half marathon. That should be fun. I have goal time ideas, but really I don't care. The heat could get to me. I don't know, but I'm not taking the race too seriously. A bunch of friends are running it as well.
8.45 miles - 1:14:42 (8:51 pace)
I started off leading the group. I knew Aaron and Pat would be ahead of me shortly. Pat went by on the first steep hill. I was hoping to run a lot of the trail. I have a half marathon on Sunday, so the plan was to take it easy.
Aaron took some more time to get by me. He went past on the shorter climb by the bison pen. Jerry, who was running with his dog Boone, stayed behind, but had me in his sights.As I was rounding one turn, Pat came out of the woods. I guess he went to the bathroom and Aaron passed him. They then ran together. They were up ahead, but I could see them.
A mountain biker came onto the trail from the road, before we did the long climb. I gradually caught him on this climb. As I passed him, he said, "you are making me look bad." I responded with, "those guys up ahead are making you look worse." I think Jerry might've passed the guy as well.
Aaron seemed to take off uphill, but then Pat caught back up. I wasn't losing much ground to them and that really helped. Mile 2 clicked off and I saw it was a 7:44. I almost broke out laughing. I don't know if I've ever run a mile that fast at Trexler. Plus, that was a mile with the uphill. I didn't think I was going too hard either.
We got to the view area and I took some photos. I kept going though. I still had those two in my field of view and could see Jerry and Boone behind me as well. The others were probably fairly far behind at this point, thanks to the fast pace.
Once again, I was fooled by the short hills before the big one. I didn't walk them though. I kept going. I ran all the way to the big hill, which is close to 4 miles. I really wanted to try to run up that one too.
Pat began walking and I actually caught him. However, I wasn't gaining much by running, so I decided to just walk. I'm a little more confident now that I could actually run up that entire hill on its own. Before this run, I wasn't so sure.
Aaron and Pat went ahead. I kept going along. I had been amazed that my pace was at almost 8 minutes flat, before the big climb. Now, of course it was much slower than that. Still, it was much faster than I had ever run this route.
I ran up the second steep hill and that wasn't too bad. I just kept plugging along. Aaron and Pat broke off to do the 10 mile loop. I couldn't stop now, because I was on record pace. I recovered pretty well on the downhills.The creek crossing was fun. Of course I couldn't run that part. I had been recovering pretty well in between the hills. I knew the long uphill after the road crossing would be tough and it was. I plugged along and made it up that.
That part had be a chore and then the grass hill starts right after that. I didn't even give the grass hill a chance. I began walking briefly. I probably should've tried running because it really isn't that steep. I didn't waste too much time walking. I did notice that Jerry and Boone had fallen back a bit.
After the grass hill, I knew quite a bit of recovery would be coming and that I could run some pretty fast times too. I got back to running an 8:34 mile at one point. I had 2 sub 8 minute miles throughout this run. On the one downhill, I flew past Wayne and his wife. They were running the shorter route. I also had to dodge a few small dogs that a woman was walking on the trail. Apparently Boone had some fun with them.
I kept focusing on trying to run and run more. I started figuring out paces in my head as I was around mile 6. I began to realize that I was going so quickly that I should comfortably run under 1:20 for the route. The 1:25 that I ran last month there was a previous record for me, so I was happy with that.
I crossed the creek on the road section. Then it was through the muddy part. My somewhat tired legs didn't enjoy that much. I hoped that they could still get me up the long climb. I had no such luck though, as I had to hike again briefly.
I lost some time while doing this, but not too much. By the top, I only had about 1.5 miles left. I knew the dirt/stone road section would be fast and it was. I was glad I knew the route, because the sides of the trail have grown so much that I could've missed the sign to turn. I cruised along the rolling uphill and neared the final half mile. I was amazed that my overall pace was still run at sub 9 minutes. I didn't think I could do a loop that fast around there.
I kept running as I crossed the road into the final section. I knew I had one very steep hill left. I really wanted to run up it, to finish the run. However, as I got near the top of it, I was staggering and breathing heavy, so I opted to play it safe and walk. I did that briefly and then ran the last short hill to finish.
If you don't count the creek crossing, I only walked 4 times total. All of them were fairly brief too. There was far more running than I've usually done at Trexler. If I had to guess, I'd say that I ran about 8.25 of the 8.45 miles. I surprised the heck out of myself, as I finished in under 1:15 minutes. That crushed my personal best there by over 10 minutes!
Since Aaron and Pat did the longer loop, they didn't come back yet. Jerry and Boone were back first. I was happy for them, because I figured that he didn't get too lost. Aaron and Pat then came in, followed by Tim and Jeff and then the rest of the group. I waited at the end in my chair to take photos of everyone finishing.
Although I ran harder than I should've, it was an awesome run. It was a fun day to end a great week. I was glad I was able to push myself. It was also one of the few times that I've actually run there and not been sore afterward. I think having good trail shoes now, has helped my feet a lot too. They always used to be sore after these runs.
I will definitely do this Hill Week again. Since I wasn't running hard too many days, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be. It was productive anyway. Tomorrow, I'm heading down to Philly bright and early for the half marathon. That should be fun. I have goal time ideas, but really I don't care. The heat could get to me. I don't know, but I'm not taking the race too seriously. A bunch of friends are running it as well.
8.45 miles - 1:14:42 (8:51 pace)
Friday, June 6, 2014
Hill Week 2014: Jacobsburg
This evening was the 6th of 7 runs in Hill Week 2014. This was the one closest to me at Jacobsburg State Park. It is also by far the easiest trail run. It's still fun though.
We had another solid turnout of 7 people. Most of them were BCR folks. I was glad that the group wasn't too big, because this can be an easy place to get lost at.
We did my normal loop here. It starts with the nice section along the creek. I had to get my camera in the car, so I had to run back to get it and catch up. I figured the group wouldn't be too far ahead. I was moving pretty good to catch back up.
I did that and we all stopped at the first turn. This would've been a place for people to get lost easily. It was good to keep everyone together.
We then started going uphill. A mountain biker passed us and I had a rare deer sighting. I've run probably over 1,000 miles at this place and I've only seen like 2 deer ever. This one ran across the trail.
Since we were all sort of together, I didn't stop much in this area after the road crossing. All the trails kind of merge anyway. Angie wasn't far behind and most of the rest of the group stayed together. Gary dropped back and ran with Susan.
The weather was nice, but of course I was still sweating by this point. Any humidity at all destroys me and I have some chafing issues. I guess I'll have to start running shirtless most of the time now.
There was a fun singletrack section and I flew through it. They opened up a section that was closed last time I came through it. I was disappointed though because they just widened the trail. It used to be a fun and challenging downhill singletrack. Now, it is a wide, smooth and boring downhill, like a lot of the rest of this place.
After that section, we stopped and waited again. I wanted to make sure that everyone knew to take a right over the bridge and onto the next singletrack section. This part is fun and has some climbing. I had to stop at one point and make sure everyone made the correct turn to get over the roads. I told David to go ahead and Angie did too.
Eventually, I caught back up with them and went by both of them to lead again. This section was very muddy, as it almost always is. There was another intersection after all the roads and I made sure to stop there too.
We waited for everyone but Gary and Susan. Gary knew the route, so I wasn't worried about them. Everyone else was running relatively close. I ran ahead again.
We got to the flat and wide part and I ran with Angie. It was good to chat and catchup. Then, it was the one tough climb of the run. The run up the powerline. I ran up that and Angie dropped back and then walked some of it too. I was excited to see another deer at the top of the trail. That is rare.
At the top, I stopped again for everyone to catch back up to us. Angie and I ran downhill together again. This section is so wide open, so it is easy to chat. I was concerned that I didn't see the others behind us, but then I finally did and they made the correct turn.
We got to the road and I wanted to make sure that everyone was together again. I joked to Angie that we were on her terrain (the road) and she should be flying now. She did pick it up then.
We were then back onto the trail a short time later. There was less than half a mile to go. Since it was a straight shot back and everyone seemed to know the route, I decided to really push it. I was flying over the short hills and the singletrack. I finished pretty far ahead of everyone and the final mile was 7:27.
It was another nice turnout and a fun time. I've enjoyed meeting new people and introducing them to new trails too. I definitely want to do this again. Tomorrow, might be the best run of them all. It is at Trexler in the morning. That is my favorite place to run in the LV and many others share those same feelings.
6 miles - 53:05 (8:51 pace)
We had another solid turnout of 7 people. Most of them were BCR folks. I was glad that the group wasn't too big, because this can be an easy place to get lost at.
We did my normal loop here. It starts with the nice section along the creek. I had to get my camera in the car, so I had to run back to get it and catch up. I figured the group wouldn't be too far ahead. I was moving pretty good to catch back up.I did that and we all stopped at the first turn. This would've been a place for people to get lost easily. It was good to keep everyone together.
We then started going uphill. A mountain biker passed us and I had a rare deer sighting. I've run probably over 1,000 miles at this place and I've only seen like 2 deer ever. This one ran across the trail.
Since we were all sort of together, I didn't stop much in this area after the road crossing. All the trails kind of merge anyway. Angie wasn't far behind and most of the rest of the group stayed together. Gary dropped back and ran with Susan.
The weather was nice, but of course I was still sweating by this point. Any humidity at all destroys me and I have some chafing issues. I guess I'll have to start running shirtless most of the time now.
There was a fun singletrack section and I flew through it. They opened up a section that was closed last time I came through it. I was disappointed though because they just widened the trail. It used to be a fun and challenging downhill singletrack. Now, it is a wide, smooth and boring downhill, like a lot of the rest of this place.
After that section, we stopped and waited again. I wanted to make sure that everyone knew to take a right over the bridge and onto the next singletrack section. This part is fun and has some climbing. I had to stop at one point and make sure everyone made the correct turn to get over the roads. I told David to go ahead and Angie did too.
Eventually, I caught back up with them and went by both of them to lead again. This section was very muddy, as it almost always is. There was another intersection after all the roads and I made sure to stop there too.
We waited for everyone but Gary and Susan. Gary knew the route, so I wasn't worried about them. Everyone else was running relatively close. I ran ahead again.
We got to the flat and wide part and I ran with Angie. It was good to chat and catchup. Then, it was the one tough climb of the run. The run up the powerline. I ran up that and Angie dropped back and then walked some of it too. I was excited to see another deer at the top of the trail. That is rare.
At the top, I stopped again for everyone to catch back up to us. Angie and I ran downhill together again. This section is so wide open, so it is easy to chat. I was concerned that I didn't see the others behind us, but then I finally did and they made the correct turn.We got to the road and I wanted to make sure that everyone was together again. I joked to Angie that we were on her terrain (the road) and she should be flying now. She did pick it up then.
We were then back onto the trail a short time later. There was less than half a mile to go. Since it was a straight shot back and everyone seemed to know the route, I decided to really push it. I was flying over the short hills and the singletrack. I finished pretty far ahead of everyone and the final mile was 7:27.
It was another nice turnout and a fun time. I've enjoyed meeting new people and introducing them to new trails too. I definitely want to do this again. Tomorrow, might be the best run of them all. It is at Trexler in the morning. That is my favorite place to run in the LV and many others share those same feelings.
6 miles - 53:05 (8:51 pace)
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Hill Week 2014: Bear Creek
Today was the 5th run of 7 for Hill Week 2014. We met at Bear Creek. They have fairly regular Thursday evening group runs, so I made the run this day. It's a fun and challenging place to run. You run on a trail around the outside of the ski slope.
It wasn't too bad weather conditions today. However, it is still humid for me. I wore a singlet and it was soaked by the end. I sweat so much. We've had great weather all week. I'm glad for that.
Since I've been leading this run, most of the week has been kind of easy for me. I'm now in good enough shape that I can do these climbs with an easy effort and they aren't challenging. Even running slow in the past used to be a struggle for me on trails with climbs. My fitness has improved a lot.
We had a small group and it is an easy trail to follow. Plus, I figured Wayne would be sticking in the back with Jess and Miriam. That meant that I could try to hang with the fast guys and push it a bit. Last month was my best run ever here because I arrived late and had to catch everyone.
I led the way early on and was moving pretty well. I almost ran through a closed section. Then, Aaron and Pat went by me. That was good since Aaron knows the trail better anyway and I sometimes get lost in the beginning of this route.
I followed the two of them back into the woods. We were moving pretty good as we went in and out. I was breathing heavy and it was quite early. It was flat, so that helped.
Then, we began to climb. I was able to hang with both of them through the beginning of the climb. That didn't last very long though. I'd like to think I'm pretty fast, but those two were amazing. They kept pulling away. Since I went so hard, so early, it was a struggle.
As I got to the flat part, I saw Aaron stopped off to the side. He decided to wait for me, Tim and Rob. Rob and Tim were a bit behind me. Pat had decided to keep going and that he would wait for us at the top.
This next section is a fun challenge. It is very rocky and technical. It is also quite steep. We came across some mountain bikers in this area and that was a bit annoying. Aaron didn't take off too much. Once the terrain leveled off and became smooth, he was gone.
Aaron stopped again and so did I. I realized that my watch had not restarted for this previous segment. That meant I lost close to a mile. Oh well, it wasn't that big of a deal.
This time, Aaron told Tim to lead. We had some fun, flat sections and then the trail began to climb again. This pace wasn't bad, but a little slower than I'm used to going. Maybe everything was taking its toll because I started to struggle a bit. It was also very muddy.
Aaron went by Tim and I passed Rob on the last steep section right before the top. This climb was very tough for me and I was breathing heavy at the top. My butt was whipped. Pat was waiting at the top and we all waited for Rob.
Now, it was on to the fast, fun downhill. I stayed in the back of the group and cruised along. I can fly downhill, but I was in no hurry. I was just enjoying the run. Tim was talking to me at one point, but Rob was in between us, so I went by him. I chatted with Tim for awhile.
Then, Tim told me to go by him. By now, Aaron and Pat were long gone. Tim wanted to make sure Rob found his way out. The end can be tricky. I get lost in that area too.
There is some in an out in this section. That is followed by some deceptive short climbing. It wasn't as tough this time as when I was beat last month. It wasn't easy though. The bikes came flying by again.
I was happy that I took the correct route through the whole thing. It isn't easy to follow. I made it though and then came out on the parking lot. It was another fun run. This one was more challenging than the others. We hungout for awhile afterward.
It was definitely a humbling run. I don't hit trails as much as I'd like and especially not ones with a lot of climbing. I also don't often push myself on trail runs. I take in the scenery more. This run showed me how far I still have to go to hang with the top guys. It's a long process and improvement doesn't happen overnight. Once I get a BQ out of the way, I'll run roads less and trails much more. That should help me improve a lot too.
Tomorrow is the 6th day of Hill Week 2014. We going to meet at Jacobsburg. That is by far the easiest run of the week. If I get a chance in the morning or afternoon, I'm hoping to run 10 miles or so. That should be a good time too.
3.9 miles - 40:07 (10:17 pace)
It wasn't too bad weather conditions today. However, it is still humid for me. I wore a singlet and it was soaked by the end. I sweat so much. We've had great weather all week. I'm glad for that.
Since I've been leading this run, most of the week has been kind of easy for me. I'm now in good enough shape that I can do these climbs with an easy effort and they aren't challenging. Even running slow in the past used to be a struggle for me on trails with climbs. My fitness has improved a lot.We had a small group and it is an easy trail to follow. Plus, I figured Wayne would be sticking in the back with Jess and Miriam. That meant that I could try to hang with the fast guys and push it a bit. Last month was my best run ever here because I arrived late and had to catch everyone.
I led the way early on and was moving pretty well. I almost ran through a closed section. Then, Aaron and Pat went by me. That was good since Aaron knows the trail better anyway and I sometimes get lost in the beginning of this route.
I followed the two of them back into the woods. We were moving pretty good as we went in and out. I was breathing heavy and it was quite early. It was flat, so that helped.
Then, we began to climb. I was able to hang with both of them through the beginning of the climb. That didn't last very long though. I'd like to think I'm pretty fast, but those two were amazing. They kept pulling away. Since I went so hard, so early, it was a struggle.
As I got to the flat part, I saw Aaron stopped off to the side. He decided to wait for me, Tim and Rob. Rob and Tim were a bit behind me. Pat had decided to keep going and that he would wait for us at the top.
This next section is a fun challenge. It is very rocky and technical. It is also quite steep. We came across some mountain bikers in this area and that was a bit annoying. Aaron didn't take off too much. Once the terrain leveled off and became smooth, he was gone.Aaron stopped again and so did I. I realized that my watch had not restarted for this previous segment. That meant I lost close to a mile. Oh well, it wasn't that big of a deal.
This time, Aaron told Tim to lead. We had some fun, flat sections and then the trail began to climb again. This pace wasn't bad, but a little slower than I'm used to going. Maybe everything was taking its toll because I started to struggle a bit. It was also very muddy.
Aaron went by Tim and I passed Rob on the last steep section right before the top. This climb was very tough for me and I was breathing heavy at the top. My butt was whipped. Pat was waiting at the top and we all waited for Rob.
Now, it was on to the fast, fun downhill. I stayed in the back of the group and cruised along. I can fly downhill, but I was in no hurry. I was just enjoying the run. Tim was talking to me at one point, but Rob was in between us, so I went by him. I chatted with Tim for awhile.
Then, Tim told me to go by him. By now, Aaron and Pat were long gone. Tim wanted to make sure Rob found his way out. The end can be tricky. I get lost in that area too.
There is some in an out in this section. That is followed by some deceptive short climbing. It wasn't as tough this time as when I was beat last month. It wasn't easy though. The bikes came flying by again.I was happy that I took the correct route through the whole thing. It isn't easy to follow. I made it though and then came out on the parking lot. It was another fun run. This one was more challenging than the others. We hungout for awhile afterward.
It was definitely a humbling run. I don't hit trails as much as I'd like and especially not ones with a lot of climbing. I also don't often push myself on trail runs. I take in the scenery more. This run showed me how far I still have to go to hang with the top guys. It's a long process and improvement doesn't happen overnight. Once I get a BQ out of the way, I'll run roads less and trails much more. That should help me improve a lot too.
Tomorrow is the 6th day of Hill Week 2014. We going to meet at Jacobsburg. That is by far the easiest run of the week. If I get a chance in the morning or afternoon, I'm hoping to run 10 miles or so. That should be a good time too.
3.9 miles - 40:07 (10:17 pace)
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Hill Week 2014: South Mountain (Lehigh) - 2X
Today was the 4th day of Hill Week 2014. We were meeting up on Lehigh's Mountaintop Campus. This route is unique in that the trails aren't official and there is no map. I would not even know about them, if not for the fact that Dave Decker introduced them to us during his "Loopy Runs."
The trails aren't marked, but thanks to that day's run, plus several other runs here, I know the trails well. I figured some of the pink ribbon markings were still up, but not all of them. That meant that I had to run through early in the day and remark them.
It was hot when I did that first run at 2 PM. I ran shirtless. There was a breeze from time to time that provided relief. I was happy to see that a good number of markings were still around. That meant that I didn't have to stop too often. I might've added a few more than necessary, but I didn't want anyone to get lost in the evening.
I saw a deer early on. I had fun with the first downhill. The uphill in the first mile really threw me off. I didn't recall it being as tough as it was. I can run up the whole thing, but it does take effort.
There is a gradual climb after that. I marked quite a bit along this section. Then, I crossed the road and on to the rocky downhill. This section can be a lot of fun, but it is very technical. If you aren't used to it, it can be a challenge. It's not too tough for me.
I almost fell when I tripped at one point. I had already lost some scissors on the route. Good thing that the ribbons were easy to tie. I even saw some orange ribbons that I think were from the year before. Mountain bikers and some hikers use these trails, but there usually aren't many people on them. Weekends can get a little more busy.
I'm not sure what caused the problem, but I had a sharp pain in my foot. That worried me. Maybe I hit a rock awkwardly. Whatever the case, I was able to keep going, but I had to run funny. Eventually it went away and I was very pleased.
The trail comes out after a bridge. Then it goes to the road. There was a Lehigh Cop sitting parked there. I ran by him and hoped he didn't question my pink tape. I ran past a second cop, just up the road. He didn't do a thing either. However, I couldn't mark this area. I figured that I would have to stop there in the evening.
I then did the long, gradual climb up to the parking lot. That wasn't too hard for me and it was a lot of fun. I'm definitely more fit that a year ago. When Dave Decker did his runs here, you had to finish in under an hour to do another loop. Even with stopping and marking all of the trees and going too long at one point, I still made it back in under 1 hour and 2 minutes. I thought it might take longer.
Tonight, was a small group. It was me, Steve, Chris H and Dave K, all from the BCR. They are all decent runners, but none of them is fast, so I figured it would be an easy run. The good thing is that they are all pretty similar in pace.
We started off with the downhill and scared some deer. It wasn't long until we crossed the road. Steve stayed behind me, then Dave and finally Chris. It was good to cruise along.
When we got to the big hill in the first mile, I took off. It is hard to run too slowly uphill. I flew up it and then waited for everyone at the top. I also wanted to make sure they didn't miss the tricky turn back into the woods.
I got ahead a little more on the next gradual climb. Even though the course was marked, I made sure to wait every so often at the tricky turns or road crossings. We were pretty much together before the technical section.
That section is a fun downhill, so again I flew ahead of everyone. There was a part where I could see the trail below and I wanted to get down there and see if I could get any good photos of them running above me. The trail went out too far first though.
It wasn't long until I got near the short bridge and road crossing. I waited for everyone there. We cruised along on the road and past the lookout.
Much to my surprise, we came across another trail runner in this section. I never see anyone else running there. Now, we had a short, but steep climb. Then, it was on to the gradual climb.
The gradual climb wasn't too bad for me, but it did take its toll on some of the others. I stopped a couple times to take some video of Steve running toward me. That came out pretty well.
I think everyone was relieved when we got to the road. Then, they became frustrated when they saw the steps that we still had to climb. I coasted up them and waited for everyone at the top. They weren't too far behind. I finished in just under 51 minutes and they all came in within 3 minutes.
I didn't get a great workout, but it was okay. I'm having fun anyway. I thought this might be more of a challenging week, but it is fine since I have a half marathon this weekend
. I'm still getting some good climbing in. I get to introduce others to new trails and I know that they are getting a pretty good workout.
Tomorrow, will be the run at Bear Creek. This is a regular group run, so I'm hoping for decent attendance. This should bring out some more of the people from the western part of the Lehigh Valley. Jacobsburg on Friday should bring out some of the BCR.
Afternoon Loop 4.5 miles - 1:01:56 (13:48 pace)
Evening Group Loop 4.25 miles - 50:43 (11:56 pace)
The trails aren't marked, but thanks to that day's run, plus several other runs here, I know the trails well. I figured some of the pink ribbon markings were still up, but not all of them. That meant that I had to run through early in the day and remark them.
It was hot when I did that first run at 2 PM. I ran shirtless. There was a breeze from time to time that provided relief. I was happy to see that a good number of markings were still around. That meant that I didn't have to stop too often. I might've added a few more than necessary, but I didn't want anyone to get lost in the evening.
I saw a deer early on. I had fun with the first downhill. The uphill in the first mile really threw me off. I didn't recall it being as tough as it was. I can run up the whole thing, but it does take effort.
There is a gradual climb after that. I marked quite a bit along this section. Then, I crossed the road and on to the rocky downhill. This section can be a lot of fun, but it is very technical. If you aren't used to it, it can be a challenge. It's not too tough for me.I almost fell when I tripped at one point. I had already lost some scissors on the route. Good thing that the ribbons were easy to tie. I even saw some orange ribbons that I think were from the year before. Mountain bikers and some hikers use these trails, but there usually aren't many people on them. Weekends can get a little more busy.
I'm not sure what caused the problem, but I had a sharp pain in my foot. That worried me. Maybe I hit a rock awkwardly. Whatever the case, I was able to keep going, but I had to run funny. Eventually it went away and I was very pleased.
The trail comes out after a bridge. Then it goes to the road. There was a Lehigh Cop sitting parked there. I ran by him and hoped he didn't question my pink tape. I ran past a second cop, just up the road. He didn't do a thing either. However, I couldn't mark this area. I figured that I would have to stop there in the evening.
I then did the long, gradual climb up to the parking lot. That wasn't too hard for me and it was a lot of fun. I'm definitely more fit that a year ago. When Dave Decker did his runs here, you had to finish in under an hour to do another loop. Even with stopping and marking all of the trees and going too long at one point, I still made it back in under 1 hour and 2 minutes. I thought it might take longer.
Tonight, was a small group. It was me, Steve, Chris H and Dave K, all from the BCR. They are all decent runners, but none of them is fast, so I figured it would be an easy run. The good thing is that they are all pretty similar in pace.
We started off with the downhill and scared some deer. It wasn't long until we crossed the road. Steve stayed behind me, then Dave and finally Chris. It was good to cruise along.
When we got to the big hill in the first mile, I took off. It is hard to run too slowly uphill. I flew up it and then waited for everyone at the top. I also wanted to make sure they didn't miss the tricky turn back into the woods.
I got ahead a little more on the next gradual climb. Even though the course was marked, I made sure to wait every so often at the tricky turns or road crossings. We were pretty much together before the technical section.
That section is a fun downhill, so again I flew ahead of everyone. There was a part where I could see the trail below and I wanted to get down there and see if I could get any good photos of them running above me. The trail went out too far first though.
It wasn't long until I got near the short bridge and road crossing. I waited for everyone there. We cruised along on the road and past the lookout.Much to my surprise, we came across another trail runner in this section. I never see anyone else running there. Now, we had a short, but steep climb. Then, it was on to the gradual climb.
The gradual climb wasn't too bad for me, but it did take its toll on some of the others. I stopped a couple times to take some video of Steve running toward me. That came out pretty well.
I think everyone was relieved when we got to the road. Then, they became frustrated when they saw the steps that we still had to climb. I coasted up them and waited for everyone at the top. They weren't too far behind. I finished in just under 51 minutes and they all came in within 3 minutes.
I didn't get a great workout, but it was okay. I'm having fun anyway. I thought this might be more of a challenging week, but it is fine since I have a half marathon this weekend
. I'm still getting some good climbing in. I get to introduce others to new trails and I know that they are getting a pretty good workout.
Tomorrow, will be the run at Bear Creek. This is a regular group run, so I'm hoping for decent attendance. This should bring out some more of the people from the western part of the Lehigh Valley. Jacobsburg on Friday should bring out some of the BCR.
Afternoon Loop 4.5 miles - 1:01:56 (13:48 pace)
Evening Group Loop 4.25 miles - 50:43 (11:56 pace)
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