:D :D :D

Yes!  This weekend was the running I love.

Mindy and I didn't know what kind of condition the trails would be in.  The weather had been pretty warm.  We'd had some new snow during the week, but also rain.  The forecast was for rain starting sometime during our run.  OK, we'd bring changes of shoes and socks.  We'd try the trails, but bail for the Animal Loop if they were just too sloppy.

Just the Squirrel and I headed out on the Beautiful Loop; some of the guys were running/snowshoeing/marking the Blizzard course.  The trail was soft, but very runnable.  Good, we'd just keep going till it conditions seemed miserable.  We had lots to talk about; the early miles flew by.  When we popped out onto the power lines, I thought we'd be turning onto the road when we reached rte 9.  There were large stretches of unavoidable deep slush.  At rte 9, we opted to try the next section of trail.  We'd turn back if it was still just slush.  Yay!  Great call; the conditions improved.  There was random post holing and patches of slush, but nothing we couldn't handle.

Before the weather had made us suspicious of the trail, we'd thought about trying to make the BL bigger by taking a trail that splits off just before the big stream crossing.  The snomo sign indicates it heads to Run Around Pond.  We could always out and back on it or pop onto the road to get back to the BL if there was no trail that looped back.

Another good call!  It was fun to be on unfamiliar trail, slightly unsure of where we were heading.  We both thought it was sort of like out Triffittville run, without the bushwacking.  We did have some more slush stretches, a bridge-out-cross-the-pond-if-you-dare crossing, and feet that froze and thawed repeatedly.  Eventually, we came to an intersection of snomo trails.  The signs helped us pick a rte back to the BL.  We reached power lines, I knew they'd get us back to the sub-station.  I just didn't realize how long of a stretch it'd be.

This was our first hill running.  With the softening of the trail and the drifts that were in the fields, the hills were harder than they should have been.  Scout and Squirrel took turns reminding the other how much strength training we were getting in.  We'd laugh when we post-holed (since we avoided injury).  Cresting one of the hills, we finally spotted a tower we knew was near the sub-station.  It was really surprising how many hills we crested before we finally reached the tower.

Our power lines (the ones on the connector) were difficult.  We knew the field when you branch off the power lines would be really rough.  The good part is the most beautiful stretch of the BL follows.  And, of course, we were still telling each other what good training it was.  It took a lot of telling each other how badass we were to endure Lunch Break.  We were very tired and it was untouched.  It was deep and deeply beautiful.  At the summit, phew!  We realized, though, that we'd need to add a little extra to get our 20.

Fortunately on the way down Northern Loop, we ran into a couple with the sweetest golden.  Gracie was almost 10 and had a lovely gray muzzle.  She almost enjoyed me milking her ear as much as Spot dog.  It was just the boost I needed.  Mindy and I ran directly across the road to the Link.  I think at the same time we both realized we'd been on this trail already today.  OMG.  It didn't even seem like the same run.  We only needed another six tenths.  Done.  E&Ls for us.

Today, I needed to get out early to get miles before the Blizzard.  There had been a light snow during the night.  It was quite beautiful.  The conditions were similar to the start of yesterday's run.  The fresh snow let me see all the activity of the nocturnal animals.  Wow!  Critters had been very active, especially the skunks.  I smiled at all the tracks.  Then I saw the most beautiful, unexpected rainbow.  It was a full, wide arc.  I kept expecting it to vanish.  It didn't seem to make sense, but stayed there for at least 25 minutes.  I wondered if anyone else saw.  As if that wasn't enough, the chickadees are singing their springtime song!  I hated to stop.  I could only get in 7 and still make it to the race on time.