Gaining more than you lose

The boys and I had been throwing out ideas last week for runs we could to today. Time and snow conditions limited our options, so we decided to just run the beginning of the Wasatch 100 course until we ran out of time or ran out of trail, and then would turn around and run back. 

Ended up that only Jun and I could make it, and we set out early in the morning. Jun was still really really sore from the 5K we had run on Saturday, so we picked up a nice casual pace to warm up (OK, he had done a crossfit challenge before running the 5K, so his normally unused muscles were still screaming at him). After a well needed pit stop and Fernwood (3.5) we started the climbing in earnest. We ran for about 2 more miles and then settled in to a pretty decent power hike. Craig started to fall back a little (something I'm really not used to!), so I just pushed on. It was a beautiful morning and the trail conditions were great. At about 8000 feet the trail started to have a little snow covering on it from the weekend storms, but it really wasn't bad at all. As I got to the traverse that then drops you down to the spring before chinscraper, Craig got my attention and told me to hold up. Once he got to me we decided that we were about out of time, and that this was as good a place as any to turn back. Chinscraper looked like it had a fair amount of snow on it, but looked like it was passable. 

The way down was a lot of fun, several miles of downhill in the morning sun. A couple of short steep climbs reminded me that my climbing legs were pretty tired, and a mile or two more of downhill let me know that all of my legs were tired!! From Fernwood Craig started to pull ahead a little, we were both pretty wrecked, it was kind of funny. I caught back up to him on the last steep downhill and then we just casually ran in the last dirt road part, with a nice 100M sprint at the end. With the amount of running I've been able (or NOT been able) to do in May, this was a good run and I felt happy with how it went. Weather was great and we caught sight of a couple of jets from Hill Airforce base fly by.

16.3 miles 4600 feet of vert.  

Run with the brothers. Lagoon trail to Farmington Pond and back. Super casual, awesome weather. Grew up in the area and had never been on that (paved) trail - its really quite nice. Followed it up with a family dinner - yum. 

AM - Early morning saunter up the Avenue Twins with Jun. Perfect morning for a run. Started out pretty conservatively, I had a few tight places complaining here and there, including the usual foot numbness that only seems to happen on this run. Got to the top in a fairly good time, I did have to hike a short section today, but I still tried to keep it quick. Spent a good ten minutes on top it was just so nice out. 

Once we headed back down we moved at a quick but comfortable pace, then Jun took the lead and turned up the speed a little. It was a lot of fun just flying down the trail, running up all the banked turns and just having an overall good time - man, this running stuff really sucks. 8.3 miles 2000 vert

PM - Wife really wanted to run and no one wanted to go with her, so I did (because I did). My brother in law also came along, and since we were at their house in Bountiful, we hit up Mueller Park. First time I've ever ran the trail NOT in the winter - where'd all this green stuff come from? and the people? :) Awesome weather, VERY casual pace. 3.1 miles, 800 vert.   

The Altramaniacs took the day to splash around at the Dirty Dash. Got plenty dirty and, as usual, added a couple of miles to the regularly scheduled course.