The Things You Learn AKA The Scariest Thing

Sunday was one of the best long runs I've ever had.  I also experienced the most terrifying thing ever while trail running.  The thought of running for an hour by myself in the pitch dark on the trails was just too scary, so I started off at 5:30am in the neighborhood surrounding Coyote Hollow trailhead.  I mostly just ran laps around Draper Temple because, despite being a rich swanky neighborhood, they have very little street lighting.  After 5k in the street, I stopped at my car to change my shoes and don my long run trail gear.  I headed out on Ann's just as it became daylight.  I ran out and back, using my car as an aide station at mile 12.  Then I headed back out Ann's to the top of Maple Hollow and back, then a little jaunt on Clark's.  On the way back is where scary came in to play.

It was about 10 o'clock and I was in the groove.  I was nearing the end of my run and feeling fantastic.  I had in one ear bud and was focused, jamming out to my tunes when I heard the cry of death.  I ripped out my ear bud, slowed to a fast walk, while crouching and trying to look up the hill.  At the time I had no idea what it was, but it wasn't human and it was certainly in mortal peril.  The sound was unbelievable and it was directly above me on the mountain.  It was screaming like nothing I'd ever heard, followed by a loud rusting in the bushes above me that was getting closer and closer.  My immediate thought was that a goat was just eaten my a mountain lion.  I wanted the hell out of there, but I knew I shouldn't run in case the predator who just caught his lunch decided I looked like a better snack.  I never saw anything, and once I got around the bend I hauled ass!  I can't tell you how scary that was.  It was intense.  When I first heard the branches breaking and rustling of the trees above I thought that whatever it was was coming straight at me.  OH. MY. GAWD!

After my National Geographic experience I was still feeling great.  I checked my pace and realized I was going to come in at under a thirteen minute pace, which fueled me even further.  I finished strong and exhilarated (some thanks to the death of a goat/deer/jackrabbit.)  

Things I learned on yesterday's run:

- No matter how swanky the area, I'm a scaredy cat running in the dark in an unknown neighborhood.

- I don't care what you're really doing, but if you're driving slowly around a neighborhood at 5:30am stopping here and there, I assume you're a homicidal rapist/robber.

- Any time a street light goes out as I run under it, I feel like it's some sort of conspiracy against me.

- Even the smallest animals make a hell of a racket in a field of dried leaves and twigs.

- I'm like a newborn baby.  I must eat early and often at the start of a long run.

- When shit hits the fan, I can actually remain calm.

- Eating while hiking uphill is good.  Gives the hamstrings and lungs a break and lets me refuel for the fast downhill.

- The cry of a wild animal being attacked/killed is not a sound I care to ever hear again.

- A white, wet bandanna hung over the back of my visor is heaven in the heat.

- There is a drinking fountain at the top of Maple Hollow and Maple Hollow goes down the backside of the mountain! (I'll have to run that another day.)

At around mile 8.

Nice and cool with my wet bandanna!

Another new trail, also must try on another day!

Maple Hollow has the softest dirt.  This felt like walking on clouds!  Delightful!

From the top of Maple Hollow.  It was about 6100'.

Beauties, aren't they?  I love these ladies!  They never steer me wrong!

Oh Snap!  Look who killed it!

22 miles

4:40

12:43 average pace!  

This is the Place to Memory Grove

Today was a new adventure.  There is no better way to get excited about running than to go some place new.  I scoped Google maps the day before and decided that if I ran on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail from This is the Place Heritage Park to Memory Grove Park that it would be about ten miles.  Perfect for an out and back for a total of 20 miles!  Lindsay was looking to do about ten miles, so she agreed to meet me at Memory Grove and run the second half with me.  

I arrived just before 6am and headed up onto BST where Katherine and I had run in the freezing cold in January.  I didn't know all of the trail, because I have only run a couple sections of BST on this end of the valley, but I did my best to navigate the trails and only made a wrong turn once.  The morning was pretty warm, 75 degrees to start and I knew it was going to be a scorcher later on.  There isn't a lot of cover on most of the trail.  There are also some strange bits of the trail up by Red Butte Gardens and the University where you cross roads and parking lots.  However, I would be more than happy about a certain section of this trail later on.

I was thrilled to make it to the section Lindsay, Katherine and I ran in April for the BOSHO marathon.  That is a really beautiful section of trail.  Then heading, once again, into unfamiliar territory I was a little confused, but luckily ran into a few other runners and hikers who knew the way.  Once, I ended up in a cul-de-sac and was quite befuddled before figuring out that the trail began again on the other side of the road.  After finally making it to City Creek Canyon I had no idea where Memory Grove was and/or where to meet Lindsay.  After a couple of phone calls and a conversation with a lovely woman who pointed me in the right direction Lindsay and I found one another.  Only bum thing, I was at mile 10.88.  I was going to be in for a long run.

We headed up on a different section of trail (I had run on an asphalt trail in Memory Grove, not knowing where I was) right next the creek.  It was small single track with some more than precarious footing.  At one point I'm pretty sure Lindsay told me I was, in fact, going to fall in the creek.  I managed not to, but it was uncertain there for a moment.  We also had some of those "hold on to that tree" and "crawl on hands and feet" moments that are only experienced in the most fun trail runs.  

The climb back up out of City Creek Canyon seemed to take forever, and the uphill didn't quite end there.  It was like an oven out by now, and often the breeze felt like a hair drier to the face.  By mile 16 I was completely out of water, but had a bit of EFS sports drink left.  Lindsay was my life saver and shared some of her ice water with me.  Water had never tasted so good.  It more than tasted good, it powered me on.  At this point it hurt a lot more to walk than run, so I really tried to power through.  Plus, I knew that if we could make it to the University I could find a place to fill my water.  

However, we did make it to the University and every damn door we tried was locked.  We decided to keep on keeping on and make it to the Natural History Museum, which we knew to be open on Sundays. That was a pretty hard bit of the run.  I was hot, tired, my legs were killing me and I was so thirsty!  As we came up to Red Butte Gardens at about mile 18 I spotted it.  That thing on the asphalt path I was happy about.  "Is that a drinking fountain!?"  I yelled and picked up my pace to a sprint.  It was!  The big question was, would it work?  It did, and I tell you I literally jumped for joy.  I drank and laid my head in the fountain and then drank some more.  We both filled our packs and I took off my shirt and soaked it and put it back on.  I was a new woman!

I then decided it was time to listen to my newly purchased mp3, Ways to Go by Grouplove.  I was so happy.  I ran faster.  I was renewed!  I had been running for over four and a half hours and I felt good. I played the song again.  I ran uphill.  We were nearly done.  I finished strong and feeling fantastic!  What an awesome adventure with an awesome friend.  

Lights of the city.

Hey there, Salt Lake City!

The creek I nearly took a swim in.

On our water quest.

21.2 miles

5:15

14:51 pace

Coming up short: a Roller Coaster run

This morning started with a headache and a stomach that was half a bubble off.  Not a great way to start your long run day.  Especially when you're supposed to run 18 miles.  I popped a couple of aspirin and a caffeine pill and headed to Corner Canyon.  Until I arrived at the trailhead this morning, I didn't have a set route in mind.  I created a bit of an aide station for myself in my van.  I brought a cooler with ice water, sports drink, cantaloupe and plantain chips.  I figured I could go out on a couple loops and break up the long day.  

Once I hit the trail I decided to find out about those mountains you can see beyond the top of Clark's trail. See them in the distance, there? I headed that way.  This brilliant idea was brought on by watching this series of videos last night about Anton Krupicka climbing what's known as Nolan's 14.  

Upon the arrival at the top of Clark's I spied these beautiful blue flowers.  I was feeling better by now and was running along at a good pace for an uphill.  

The climb continued and I was getting closer to said mountains.  I was still feeling good and excited about my adventure.

See that little trail with a building on it?  I ended up in that parking lot after a couple of miles.

That peak was still very far off, but now I was staring at it from near it's height.

Utah lake is out there in the distance.

Once at the top I was thrilled that I had made it so high, but knew that it was really going to slow me down. 

I wasn't entirely sure this was the best plan of action for starting a successful 18 mile training run.  But, what the hell?  It was fun!

See the white building down there?  That's where I started!

When I came to this, I wasn't exactly what you'd call thrilled.  It was pretty rough going the entire way down.  There was a section of running right on a ridge, some steep downhills and lots of loose rocks and gravel.  Lots of fun, right?

Remember that parking lot I told you I'd get to?  I made it!  I was at about mile 4.5.  Now the easy part begins, down Canyon Hollow back to my "aide station."

Look Ma!  New trail!  That was exciting.  This trail was a lot less downhill than the other way down, but it was fun and led me directly to the Coyote Hollow trailhead.

By the time I made it to the van I was at about 7.5 miles.  I wasn't as near the halfway point as I'd hoped when I returned to the van to refill, but I took advantage of it anyway.  I sat for a moment and ate my cantaloupe and refilled my water and electrolyte drink.

After heading out again, I decided to try another new section of trail.  Instead of heading to Potato Hill, I continued on the Bonneville Shoreline trail.  I passed what Katherine and I like to call Hogwarts.  Hot damn!  This house is HUGE!

Decisions, decisions...

I ended up at this piece of land that was going to be, I assume, turned into a house.  I had to make my own way through to the trail on the other side, which soon ended at a major road.  Seeing Ann's trail just across the road with no way to reach it was rather frustrating.  But there was nothing else I could do, so I headed back the way I came.  

The other side of Potato Hill.  The sun was really pounding down on me now and I was getting very hot.  As I poured lots of water on my head and down my shirt I was thankful I had refilled my hydration bladder.

I was feeling pretty grumpy at this point, but for whatever reason seeing this flower made me very happy.

I decided my next best course of action would be to head out Potato Hill to Ann's and just go out and back the few miles I had left.  However, I was beat!  It was getting very hot and my legs and spirit were starting to get very worn.  By mile 12 I couldn't fathom how I was going to make it six more miles.  

At about 12.3 miles I decided to just take a break.  I contemplated continuing on, but decided to head back to the car.  That would give me about 14.5 miles.  Not anywhere near my goal, but I didn't care.  I was beat!

Then the silliest thing happened that helped me continue.  My friend Meghan texted me to say that she had just had a miserable three mile run.  Don't ask me why, but her telling me that renewed me.  I wasn't the only one having a crappy run.  I could make it a bit farther.  Itexted her back and told her where I was and how I was dying.  It felt good to get it out and tell someone that I felt like crap.  I decided that I would make it to at least 16 miles.  I ran back toward the van and headed up Clark's, once again.  It was slow going, but I pushed on up.  I finished at a mile and a half short of my goal and the entire run was one huge roller coaster.  I felt good, I felt bad, I felt horrible.  Mentally I was in and out of the run.  One moment enjoying the adventure, the next completely down in the dumps.  I will say one thing though, I smiled the entire drive home.  

16.5 miles

4:01

14:36 average pace

The beautiful, treacherous details.