I hadn't run all week since Cave Creek, so it was good to finally run.
Got to see a great sunrise at the trailhead before we all started.
This is the first time I've done Soldier and La Milagrosa trails. Quite a few TTR's came out, which was cool.
Distance: 15.96 miles
Total time: 4:02
AEG: 3,274 feet
Soldier trail is the hardest trail ever!!!!!!! It is super steep. My legs are trashed from too many weightlifting workouts. I think I'll be abandoning them for a while. My quads and calves were on fire. I didn't think I'd be able to finish the run.
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| Dallas made it look like a stroll in the park. Ugh. |
But, of course, we pressed on. Almost everyone in the group passed us by the time we reached Prison Camp. The trail from Prison Camp to La Milagrosa is familiar - we do it during the Reddington 50k. I like that part. After passing Molino Basin and crossing Catalina Highway, we continue East, heading up and over a ridge. On the other side of the ridge, it is fun running downhill!
The turnoff to La Milagrosa trail was hard to miss. Dallas said, "If we didn't take a right here, we'd have to be idiots."
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| 2 LARGE cairns and 3 or 4 flags. We got it. |
Dallas ran with me so we could 'scope' out a spot that Ross had suggested might be a good lookout point to have a wedding.
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| Who wouldn't marry this man? |
We ran into Mari right at the end. She took a few pics of us and then Dallas got some pics of me and Mari.
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| Renee and Mari |
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| Runnin' down the road with Dallas, my best friend... |
At the end, Chris said he had never seen me when I wasn't 'happy'. He passed me on Soldier trail and asked how I was doing, and I was whining about my trashed legs and not feeling good. He had definitely never seen me like that before. Gene commented that he rarely passes me. Yup, I was trashed out there and my mental state was bad for a bit. But, eventually, I made up my mind that I was going to finish and Dallas and I had a great time. We always do.
"I wouldn't focus on the negative, there's no point in that
Nothing says you can't enjoy the ride
Even if you are off the tracks..."
~ Finger Eleven
1 comment:
Sorry to read of your troubles with this run! If it helps, seeing these photos and your blog have probably pushed me over the edge into trail racing and ultras. :) I'd say you might be onto something there with pulling the intensity down a bit, for a while. Best of luck in pushing through.
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