Last Big One Before the Taper

Hard to believe it's taper time already.  Actually, it's hard to believe I'm saying that.  I think, just yesterday, I was saying I was so ready, both mind and body, for the taper.  Well, 36.36 miles later and I'm ready for more : )

Saturday, TMR was running at Pineland, but I opted for Bradbury.  I thought I was going to be alone for all 26 miles, but Mindy offered to run her miles with me instead.  Then Ian said he'd run over from Pineland on the Connector and join me for some miles about an hour into my run.

I got to the parking early, must have been eager!  That's when I realized I left my PBJ and extra Gatorade home.  I hoped I still had sufficient supplies.  A mountain biker's sweet, old boxer provided company while I waited for Mindy.  Even when Mindy got there, we spent time with the pup.  She had such a precious face and disposition.

Sweet, old girl

We headed out on the Mindy loop (since it's most likely what she'll be using for her 40 for 40,that's my new name for the modified-Bruiser loop we've been doing) chatting away.  Somewhere around 4 miles in, I realized I wasn't paying attention to anything except our fun run; I needed to remember to hydrate.  The day was going to be one of the warmest yet.  I managed to drink almost 8 oz on our 8 miles, but forgot to GU (I'm trying to remember to take one about every 1 to 1 1/4 hours). 

We were expecting to see Ian somewhere on Fox West.  When we got to where the trail meets up with the Link, we debated which way he would be coming - up the Link or from running the Bruiser backwards.  We waited a few minutes, figuring the Link wouldn't take that long for Ian, then headed out on the rest of the Bruiser.

Mindy took her first digger of the year on the next piece of single track.  I was in front so didn't see, but it sounded like a good one.  She had popped right back up and declared herself fine!  We finished up the loop and headed back to the parking lot.  That was the day for Mindy; she had company coming.  She hung with me while I refueled (Honey Stinger Wafer and 8 oz Gatorade right there, and refilled Fuel Belt bottles).

Getting ready to head out, there still was no Ian.  Was he still coming?  Was he already on the east side, but we just missed each other?  Putting the Gatorade bottle back in the car, I noticed something red on my windshield.  It was a red hat.  Ian's?  I showed Mindy.  We decided that Ian must be out there.  I planned to head back out the Bruiser backward, figuring he probably did come up the Link, would have run Fox West and then head back the end of the Bruiser when he didn't find us.

I'd just gotten to the starting area of the Scuffle and Bruiser, when I saw Ian heading down the Link!  I ran up to meet him.  He was fairly drenched with sweat.  Running from Pineland to Bradbury was farther than he thought (there was the mileage to get to the actual trail on the Pineland side and he even added a little to the trail by missing a turn near the quarry).  He was ready to head back.  Perfect!  I'd run with him and learn the trail.  He was excited to show someone a beautiful pool he discovered just down the river from where the trail crosses it.  I can see why.

very inviting

Ian rehydrating

I love the terrain.  It's harder running than the east side of Bradbury - by far.  It's got more elevation changes.  It reminds me of the O trail straightened and put on a hill; it has all the dips.  The trail has that soft, padded feel that new trails have before all the traffic packs them firmly.  I would have liked to run the entire trail with Ian, but, since I couldn't carry enough fuel in my belt for that distance, I turned back when we got to the power lines.  Thanks for the company and showing me the way : )

My Garmin said I had 12 miles down.  I was still feeling good and planning on cooling off in that pool on the way back.  I did stick my sore feet in (really just painful big toes), but decided against going in all the way.  The moss covered rocks were very slippery when wet.  I didn't want to fall with no one around.

The water felt...mmmm!  Good thing for all the mosquitoes; I would have stayed there too long!

Just after the summit

Back on the Boundary Trail, I decided to head to the summit and then take the Tote road down.  After refueling in the parking lot, I'd have bout 9 miles to finish up.  I had my last Honey Stinger Wafer, downed a 12 oz Coke, refilled my bottles and packed another GU in my belt.  The last miles were hard.  I was feeling the heat (funny how 60s can feel so hot when  not acclimated).  In the last mile, I started to hear thunder.  At least I'd be in before the storms came.

When I finished, I knew I needed food.  I headed to E & L's.  The TBLT was the special.  I just stood there at the counter.  I wanted food, but couldn't think of eating.  I didn't even want to be there.  Finally, I took a cold Ginger Beer from the cooler and asked for one of the frosted carrot cupcakes to go.  The cold soda was the best.  The frosting helped too.

26.36 miles

Pulling up our driveway, I felt mostly human again.  I managed to smile at the tick I took off the inside of the passenger side window (the side where my I threw my wet, muddy Inov8s when I changed into a fresh pair before the final loop). 

Danielle had put on the TMR forum that she was running Pineland on Sunday at 8:30 if anyone wanted to join her.  I thought that might be a good way to get in the 10 on my schedule.  Dora was going to join in, too.  It'd been a while since I've caught up with them.

I woke up Sunday feeling pretty good about everything feeling pretty good.  The only complaint was from my big toes.  The more I thought about them running down the steep, frequent downs at Pineland, the less I wanted to run there.  I had already planned on just saying hi to D & D, maybe keeping up for a little, and then letting them run ahead at their own pace.  Hmmmm...I wasn't going to have company and I wasn't going to enjoy the terrain.  I still drove out to Pineland to say hi, but then made the short trip to Bradbury to run my favorite ground.

Besides the first 100 feet getting the body moving, I felt great.  The weather was perfect.  Since the Mindy loop gets in just about 8 miles, I decided to check out some of the little single track that I never go on because it's not part of any of the TM races.  Fun!  Still felt good at the end of the run.  Let the taper begin!!!

Oh, I went back to Pineland to catch Danielle, Ryan, and Sam at the visitor center.  It was good to see Ryan again and always fun to watch sweet Sam being the happy little girl that she is.