31 January 2015

Rattlesnake Ridge trail run

What a day!

It's been pretty foggy down low and today I was above it all. And the trail conditions up on Rattlesnake Ridge were primo. Everything was covered in pine needles and the ground was soft but not wet. I hardly got muddy!

Fitness wise I'm still struggling a bit. This course is really well suited to a negative split as it's six miles of climbing from the car followed by four miles of descending to the lake so you have a shorter climb and longer descent coming home. In spite of keeping it way under control (under 140 bpm) on the way out I was struggling on the way back and kept slowing down. The result was a positive split by five minutes. Rats.

But there was so much good about today that in the end I was super glad I did this. Here are more details.

  • There was one other car in the parking lot when I started. The lot was full and there were cars parked down the road when I finished.
  • I almost bailed six miles in, SO glad I didn't.
  • Sections of this trail are amazing! So much fun.
  • On the way back to the car I passed a group of 15 hikers, ALL of them were wearing rain pants and knee-high gators?! And rain jackets and fancy hiking hats with neck flaps, c'mon!
  • if I were to write a poem about this run it would go something like this.

crunch, crunch, crunch, peaceful, dark, breathe, breathe, breathe, sunrise, MOUNTAINS, orange, red and wow, pine needles, soft, soft, soft, stairs, climb, climb, climb, indecision, resolve, down, down, down, hop, jump, hop, jump, hiker, hiker, talk, talk, college kids, bro, bro, bro, like, totally, family, family, dogs, dogs, DOGS, HIKERS, KIDS, HIKERS, DOGS, steeps, views, forest, soft, soft, soft, needles, needles. Big. Giant. Smile.

When I started it was dark.

I got to see the forest slowly get lighter and lighter and watch the sun peak over the Cascades. It was beautiful.

I tried to take more pictures and movies but during my second movie my battery suddenly died...

I gotta say, two things I love are Perpetuem and these Brooks Pulse Lite Glove II. So tasty and so comfy.

Sleep 6
Waking HR 5:30 AM - 46
Body Weight  
Body Fat  
Breakfast 6:00 AM - 2 bananas, 1 scoop Hammer Whey Protein, apple sauce, Udo's Oil
Lunch  
Dinner  
Nutrition 2 large bottles each w/2.5 scoops Perpetuem and 1 Endurolytes, 3 Hammer Gel
Recovery large bottle w/3 scoops Recoverite
Injuries  
Therapy  
Time of Day 7:00 AM
Workout Type endurance
Weather upper 30s to upper 40s, calm, dry, sunny
Course  
Results  
Time  
Distance  
Pace  
Equipment Brooks Cascadia 10, Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest 2.0, Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp
Clothing Injinji Run Original Weight Mini-Crew, Brooks Equilibrium CoRe Short, Brooks 5" Essential Run Short, Craft Active Classic Long Sleeve Baselayer, Brooks short sleeve EZ T III, buff, Brooks Pulse Lite Glove II

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