Since I've have been on maybe 3 trail runs I am automatically an expert.
And we're off!
Since I'm such a pro, I reminded Brad over and over again to be careful and watch his steps. "Your two major priorities" I said "are to not twist an ankle and not bust your face." Wise words indeed.
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| There are some areas that just aren't runnable at all. |
It's 1.7 miles to the top and the last 0.2 are hands down the most difficult. It's all you can do to just speed hike it. Even then, your breathing is labored and your quads and calves are on fire.
But then you get to the top and the view is wonderful. The last time I did this, it was a sea of green, but this time the landscaped was dabbed with shades of red and orange. Breathtaking.
We did some mountain top Tebowing
Then, because my husband is related to this person, we took some self portraits.
This is when I told Brad that he was clumsy and to be careful. (Keep this info in mind along with all my professional trail run coaching)
On the descent, I gave out a little more advice. Don't go too fast and get carried away, blah, blah, blah. I was worried that this particular trail might have been a little bit advanced for a "rookie" like my husband.
On the way down I was feeling like a deer frolicking through the forest. The path has these lines of rocks every so often that cut straight across and are easy to see. You can tell they were placed there. Probably for erosion reasons. I was light as a feather, leaping across each line of rocks like a gazelle. And then... CRASH! Guess I wasn't as light as I thought. My foot caught on one of those rock lines, I went down and then slid a little ways. It stung a little but it was also really funny. So when Brad turned around to see if I was OK, I was doing a sort of laugh cry. Brad saw that I was ok, and then went on ahead of me. I walked it off for a minute and then finished out the run.
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| Hugh Jass Bad Ass |
I LOVE trail running. I don't care if I bust my ass every time, it's totally worth it.
-Hugh Jass
That looks just like Texas... except the orange trees are really brown and dead.
ReplyDeleteHa, nice work on the knees! Personally, blood always equals a successful run in my book :) (No, for reals!)
ReplyDeleteYou're right Tara, just like Texas ;)
ReplyDelete@Heather, I just wish it were still shorts season, so I could shoe these scabbed over bad boys off.
Yes you sure did get those knees good! But oh how beautiful was your run! I love, love it!!!
ReplyDeleteNice job on the knees - looks like I'm not the only one who took a tumble this week. Also, Tebowing on a mountain = awesome. My husband will LOVE that.
ReplyDeleteThat is suck a pretty view; soak it up all you can in the next few weeks!
WOW, those views were worth a little blood! Just amazing with those trees changing color! And how fun that you and your husband could do this together without kids!
ReplyDeleteFalling on the trails is the great equilizer between the elite and the common folk. My greatest dive came when I was running through Umstead Park and became lost in thought about being Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans. As the theme played in my head (now distracted) I took a sweet face dive and began sliding down a steep hill. In reality this was no potential fall to my death, but I clinged to the roots of trees as if I was headed for the Abyss.
ReplyDeleteHumbling.
Internet high five for Tebowing Victoria! "Suck" a pretty view? Lol!
ReplyDeleteIt is so rare that we get out without the kids so we really soaked it up. BTW: I still want to call you S&R because it's kind of like S&M.
And now you see what you missed by not being a cross country runner in high school...
ReplyDeleteYikes! Looks painful - but fun :) (minus the Tebowing - mainly because I can't stand the man. Once a Gator, always a Gator.)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful views (and not just of your knees!)
Ouch! That has to hurt. Bloody knees are not sexy, that's why I tend to stay in the roads. Trails are a lot of fun though. If you get to head down to atlanta for any reason, they have some of the best trails around. And FWIW, you might want to check out ultrasontrails.com, Terri Hayes' series of trail ultras in the area. I'm debating doing some next year. What's better than running trails? running a 50k all on trails.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful trail and beautiful views from the top! Ouch to those knees though. I fell a couple times on a solo trail run a couple months ago. Didn't get drippy bloody though -
ReplyDeletemostly just dirty, and a little scraped up.