I love a Good Run

Well, I didn't do one of the Valentines' 5k races in town this weekend. However, I did have a GREAT 12-miler (12.4 to be precise) Saturday. I ran on one of my new all-time favorite trails: Waterton Canyon.

I don't think these pictures really need explanation, but as for the trail's greatness I will say this: it is a very gentle incline up as far as you want to go, which means a heavenly downhill on the way back. Personally, I felt the incline was almost unnoticable, but I did feel the decline on the way back down. I managed a negative split, except for the last mile when I had a couple of walking patches as I was again V.E.R.Y. thirsty. (Contrary to my previous beliefs, it seems I actually DO need to bring water with me on the double-digit runs, even when it is cold out. Duly noted, Running Gods, duly noted.)

Waterton Canyon trail on the right (flat, wide, and dirt);

picturesque mountain stream on the left.

A frozen waterfall in the stream next to the trail.

You know what's not good fuel for a run? 5.4 pounds of peanut butter M&Ms. I finally threw them in the trash yesterday afternoon, lest I become a hard-core addict. And not that surprisingly, my run yesterday afternoon was furiously...meh.

I ran while Shortie1 was at soccer practice (new practice locale=right next to awesome running trails, highly auspicious) and at 2 minutes in, I already needed to stop and catch my breath. This was not going to be good. Damn M&Ms! My legs felt ok but I was panting and out of breath. I've only done this section of trail once or twice and it's generally comprised of rolling hills, but nothing too tough. It was hot, though, at about 90 degrees.

I kept plugging along. I was hoping to do a 9-flat or maybe sub-9 pace for the whole run. My first mile clocked in at 10:15. Uh oh. Mile 2 was about the same. At mile 2 I turned back so that I wouldn't be late meeting Shortie1 at the end of practice. It was at this point that I realized that it felt MUCHHHHHH easier going back. I was easily doing 7:55 pace! Then I realized that although there were rollers, I was actually going downhill. Soooooo....I had actually been going up a long gradual hill the whole way out, and didn't notice...well no wonder I was was huffing! I did end up running a negative split, keeping the pace faster the 2 miles back.

Overall run stats:
4 miles in 38:something (forgot what gizmo told me
Peanut butter M&M burps: 43.5
Bugs swallowed¹: 2
Prairie dog² sightings: 3,289

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¹ - Perhaps they were attracted to the scent of peanut butter emanating from me?
² - They were everywhere on this trail...and didn't run away when I approached, but stared me down--ballsy little things!--and I wasn't sure if perhaps I ought to be more afraid of them than they were of me. Do they bite? Will they chase me? I just didn't know. I ended up chattering at them as I do to my own (non-prairie) dogs. (Yes, cute guy who passed me on the BMX dirt bike, I am crazy, burping, red-faced, slow-running, self-talker. Carry on.) This seemed to freak them out enough that they just stared but left me alone.