From the Red Rock Rim trail, looking out across the namesake sea of red rocks!! I had a little problem that was evident as I stepped from my truck - I left the wonderfully addictive Garmin on the counter when I left to drive over. What - run without my wonderful, endless supplier of numbers to quantify all things running???? Oh well, I kept time with my phone and know the mileages of almost everything at Red Rock, so could be worse. Well, that is, until my iPod died at mile 4....
The trails were generally in fantastic shape aside from the areas nearest the main trailhead. I do have a bit of a beef with "some" trail users. When it is muddy enough to sink in to your shoe laces or up on the rims of your mountain bike, go somewhere else until it firms up. And yes I can speak to both - 15+ years of hardcore mountain biking gives me freedom to speak into that world too!! I don't get it - coming home with 5 pound shoes or an extra 10 pounds on the bike is not fun. And the crusty, lumpy carnage left behind when it dries - Ay Carumba! Anywho, enough ranting, back to the run... where was I? Ah yes, Pikes Peak on a glorious day - enough said!
Beautiful, snow-free, fabulous, red dirt trail...Cruising up the Sand Canyon Trail.
Taking a "Peak" through the trees!
All downhill from here... Snapped a "group" photo at the top of the trail heading out to the main parking. It was a fantastic day, yet I had no legs - crud. I was able to get 10.5 miles but had nothing else to give - on such a sunny day, what? Well it has been a long week, but unfortunately longer for the lovely Kathleen. As I am writing this, she sits at the hospital bedside of her mom in Iowa, nearing the end of an epic clash of the titans with cancer. Friends, this courageous woman will not drop the sword, which I admire, yet the family suffers to watch the end drag out. Send thoughts and prayers their way for me! So my sadness and the fact that my love is so many miles away probably contributed to slow legs - strangely, however, running is therapeutic and I feel almost re-energized as I type this post. Low 50's again tomorrow - can't wait.
Shoes- Asics 2150 Trail - first time out and now muddy!
