Rewind and Fast Forward

After some serious work on my left leg in the four days leading up to one of the more difficult trail runs I will do in a year, I was lucky enough to get through the race without any issues.  In fact it ended up being one of my better trail runs that I've ever had.  Better yet, I haven't had any pain after the run.

This was probably the first run in awhile, possibly ever, that there was a sense of apprehensiveness.  I tried running trails the week before and it wasn't a pretty sight.  I knew if my injury kicked in early during the run I was going to have a difficult time finishing.  The problem was the injury hides itself until shortly after the running begins leaving me out in the cold as to whether or not I could complete this race. 

Injury or no injury I still started towards the outer front of the group.  All the wild weather leading up to the race like it often has this year primarily missed the area.  The heavy rain predicted for Friday and Saturday was more of a light event or drizzle.  One of these years we won't be so lucky.  And it was probably good the course wasn't a complete mud pit because after doing a short loop from the start we were faced with a short straight up section of dirt.  It was the only part of the race I had to use the ground to help me up.  The good part was my leg was feeling fine.

We quickly made our way into the woods heading towards the Pagoda but a few hundred feet down.  You would never know there are trails there and some open up to look straight down into the city.  I'm talking straight and down.  Like, keep your eyes focused ahead or one small misstep could cost you a bit of a tumble.  We proceeded to traverse the mountain numerous times often on flat parts leading to quick climbs.  It was pretty easy to get lost in the surroundings. 

This isn't the type of run for devices so I didn't have my GPS tracker, however after looking at a map and remembering areas where we were, you are easily talking about a descent and climb of 400-500 feet in a short period.  The descent is more gradual, the climb is more steep.  Speaking of the climb, it was the most difficult part of the course.  It was about as vertical as you could get while still being able to move forward and ended up leading to Skyline Drive above the city.  Except we were further north along the road, not near the Pagoda and ended up climbing over the barrier wall and jumping down onto the road.

We ran on the road for a short distance with a straight shot view of everything below from the city to the suburbs and hills in the distance.  Myself and two others who were in front and behind me during the climb ended up running side by side enjoying a casual conversation about the awesome view of which one who I assume was not from the area was amazed to see.  After getting back onto the course it was mainly flat and since we had reached the top, it was going to be downhill from here.  I really got some speed going down with the more careful runners being the only thing slowing me down.  I passed cautiously while also getting a few words of encouragement for going at it full speed.  The finish line was approaching within a mile with a jog around a lake and one more rocky climb to get back to the bar. 

Seeing the clock under 1:20 was a nice surprise and finishing with almost no pain was even nicer. 

I'm sure you have it bookmarked but if you don't and care to take three minutes to scan, Trail Runner Magazine had an article about the race that you can find Here. 

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WEATHER TIME

If you haven't noticed, February hasn't exactly ushered in the snowfall.  I guess I should put an asterisk after that and note - for our area.  Some places have been getting hit hard including New England, much of the central area of the country and the southwest and mountains of the west.  Okay, pretty much everybody except us and the southeast.  Now let the trumpets sound for the possibility of an early March snowstorm.

It's already on the radar of some.  The models show absolutely nothing.  If anything it moves well to the south.  Quite frankly, why not?  It would be the perfect way to end the season.  Give the southeast a snowstorm so basically everybody got at least once except for our area and the D.C./ Baltimore area. 

If we are going to get something it will have to be in the first week of March.  After that temps start bouncing all over the place in a typical trek towards spring.  That makes it much more difficult to get a snowstorm.  I can always look at it like each day that passes now gets me closer to next winter.  But we still have another full month left and even a week or two into April could bring something.

At this point I don't even care.  My leg seems to be on a much quicker road to recovery.  The days get longer allowing me the option to go outside after work to run or do whatever.  Various runs and races become more plentiful as I can always hope for a rainy day.  MLS is kicking off.  Hockey is being hockey.  Other things are doing things.  Wheels are in motion.  Enough of this.