Driven

Bonneville Shoreline/Great Western Trail

I wanted to run up to Chinscreppa and back from where the W100 race begins. That would give me lots of vert climb and miles. All was going well until the tracks I followed in the snow stopped.  

Big to Small Combo: Mt. Olympus, Mt. Grandeur (with loop run), Mt. Wire

We almost did this lsat year, but instead did five laps on Mt. Wire the day after Thanksgiving. Scott and I wanted to take a day to do something big, so we combined three Wasatch Front peaks into one big day of stairmaster hiking and descent running.

Big to small. First up: Mt. Olympus. We met about 6:10 AM and Scott left his vehicle on a neighborhood street nearby. After we both had windows smashed last week at Wire trailhead, we consider it a necessity to park out of the way to not be victimized again. I drove us to a spot about half mile away from the Olympus trailhead, then we jogged back and began our hike up. It was a very cold morning but we soon warmed. Both of us are very familiar with the trail so it was just an easy, enjoyable morning hike up. There is packed snow on the upper half of the mountain. Scott attached micro-spikes to his shoes, while I had to go without. Wasn't too bad. Summit in about 2 hours of moving time and about 2:20 overall; not bad for adding half mile extra and going at a leisurely pace, including breaks to move some organic product.

On the summit, it became obvious we were on the mountain on one of the best days of the month. Clear and sunny, no wind. Toot sweet! On the descent, just below the summit, we came close to a fambly of goats. These guys didn't run off quickly like most other goats I have seen up on high peaks. We continued down quickly, then after Tolcat stream it became a steady trail run to the bottom.

Next up: Grandeur by the West ridge, but first it was breakfast time. We were both jonesing for some McDonalds breakfast but we missed the 10:30 AM cutoff time. Scott craved grease and he got it in a large-ass value meal. With free Coke glass! We again parked on a residential street near the trailhead, then got started up the West ridge. Slower now. An hour and a half to the summit of Grandeur. Normally, we can butt it up this mountain in 1:05 to 1:10, but with fast food in the belly and Olympus on our legs, we did alright.

The big run of the day would be the route from Grandeur summit down to Pipeline to the canyon road and back to the car at the trailhead. Must be about 7 miles. I think we both felt pretty good, although getting tired, throuh this run.

Back at the car, we were both hammered. I was pleased to hear Scott say let's go to Mt. Wire. Holy crap we were really gonna do it. Smooth up in ya! Over near the Zoo now, we again parked half mile away up in front of some homes. We ran down the hill, then started the trail up to Mt. Wire. We both can get up to the summit in about 40 minutes, no problem. Not on this day. We took it easy, getting passed by fresh hikers who probably thought we looked pathetic. It was a grind, but Wire is so short that it was a short grind. Summit at sunset. Nice. On the descent I was "singing" at the top of my lungs to More Than A Feeling, not caring who could hear. I think we made a good run on the descent, and of course we ran it in the last half mile to the cars.

The stats: 23 miles, 8:30 hours of moving time, 10,575 of vertical climb.

View Benchmark/Lake Mountain Double up

So this was one of the more unusual outings Scott and I have done. We've hiked Olympus and King's Peak in the middle of the night, so being out climbing mountains when most people are climbing into bed is not unusual for us. This time however, we had the added dimension of sub-freezing cold. 

I met Scott in Draper at 11 PM and we ran Anne's trail up to View Benchmark and back for 8 miles. Very cold and dark, but fun nonetheless. I stayed sufficiently warm as long as I kept moving. We saw the big half moon rise over the Wasatch from behind Box Elder peak. The entire route was snow-covered enough to slow us somewhat, but still runnable. 

Down from Benchmark, we then drove ourselves to Lehi for a run up Lake Mountain. I swear it was colder out in Lehi. Who does this kind of stuff? Answer: We do. We both changed into Altra Lone Peak shoes and started off into the night on the dirt road leading to Israel Canyon. I shivered the first five minutes, but then warmed the higher we climbed. About half way up we both began to feel the soreness in our calves and legs from the zero drop design of the shoes. They have terrific traction, the Lone Peaks, but the time and effort needed to condition in the shoes requires serious committment. Because of snow, we hiked a lot of the way up.

On top of Lake Mountain we paused for several minutes and attempted to photograph our success, without much success. Although sore and cold, we both ran the entire way down, arriving at Scott's vehicle at about 4:30 AM. 

Cold and dark do not stop these guys. 

 I am starting my training for the Buffalo 100. My plan is to run 10 miles or more per day for 5 days, for at least 50 miles per week. I will occasionally substitute mountain climbs for any of those days. 

 'Smorning I ran deep into Kaysville and back for 10 miles.

She's my cherry pie. 

Original plan was to run five in the day, then five more at night. As per usual I ran an extra mile. No big woop.

 Added 4 more this evening for 10. 

Ten miles on the Bonneville in Kaysville with Matt Williams.

Coked-Up Christmas Eve Run 11 Miles

It is a certainty that when I drink a cold Coke during the day, I will be awake well past bedtime. I drank two Cokes today. I really didn't want to go out into the cold night and run, but my inner trainer told me I had to, or else. This is also known as compulsive behavior. The payoff is I would get over 40 miles this week.

Done.

 I ran a loop from home on a combination of roads, trails and bike path. Through the marshy wastelands of West Davis County. I was invisible to all except God. 

Capital building to Aves Twins

Scott texted me asking if I wanted to go running. OK. We chose the trails above City Creek, always a good selection. We met just after 7 AM and then went out in the very cold temperature. The canyon breeze didn't help things, but we got warmed up when we began the climb from the pond at the bend in City Creek road. 

Our pace was casual and easy, but we ran most of the uphill. It is nice to be able to run the trails above SLC in the winter. Usually there is a foot of snow covering the trails. We got up to the Twins and took a break for a minute, then reversed our course. On the way down my legs and especially my calves, were achy, and I wondered how well I could run the rolling terrain.

Down at the intersection of the Shoreline trail and the trail coming up from the city, we both felt the need to pull over and, ahem, 'move some product'. We went downhill several feet off the trail, and I chose a secluded spot behind some scrub oak. Scott felt more comfortable out in the open, Julie Andrews style on the side of the hill and proceeded to drop his pants and do the bidness. Whether he knew he was in view of anyone jogging on the Bonneville Shoreline trail from across the gully or not didn't seem to matter -- until he saw two women runners with two dogs approaching in our direction from a quarter mile away. This development set in motion a sequence of hilarious events I like to call The Mile Six Incident.

I had quickly taken care of my business, when I realized I was only feet away from the trail above me and the trees did not cover me very well. Then I realized that as soon as the women came near they would see Scott in all his glory, backside exposed with nowhere to go. Scott must have understood this too because as we heard the chatting women approaching he did a panicked crabwalk, tights still down at his ankles, into the nearest group of trees. He no sooner had got to his new hiding place when the women ran by, saw me below them in the trees (my red shirt) and slowed a bit, obviously aware of our presence below them. When they got several steps downhill from me they stopped because their dogs left the trail. I had my back to them when the dogs-- a black lab and a smaller terrier type -- came snooping through my personal space. They must have determined I was of no interest because they then shot straight for Scott's very recently vacated first position on the hill side. They stopped right on target and began enthusiastically lapping up Scott's still steaming pile of poo. My initial reaction was disgust, which was quickly replaced with amusement as the women, now paused on the trail above me, called to their dogs. "Leave it alone!" one shouted. "Come on! Get away from there!" Scott stayed hidden behind a thin curtain of trees, tights still around his ankles, trying not to laugh out loud at the site of dogs enjoying his waste product so well. In all the commotion he hadn't time to properly cleanse himself. Had he been caught squatting on the hill when the dogs swept through, I am certain they would have bathed Scott with their tongues.

Why they skipped me and made a beeline for Scott's pile of excrement is a mystery. Scott likes to believe that he moves a better product, and the dogs could smell the quality. 

The dogs worked quickly, getting their fill. When they turned toward me I could see their little brown snouts. The terrier seemed to be smiling. Another moment and they were gone to join their horrified masters. Do they make mints for dogs? Scott and I could barely hold our laughter, then let out belly laughs that probably echoed down the canyon. Crude and immature, I know, but I forgot all about my aching legs the rest of the way down to the car.

The Mile Six Incident will go into my book of best runs ever.  

City Creek Foothills

With Scott W., ran from the Capital up City Creek, then turned North on a trail above millionaire homes. Up to radio towers, then back down on a nice single-track ridge trail and back to the Canyon road.

Nice morning, little more warm than Monday. No loose dogs.

 Little Black Mountain

I have been eyeing this one for a while. Several years ago one of my first hikes in the Wasatch was to Little Black Mountain. I brought too much stuff, I wore poor shoes, and probably weighed 15 pounds heavier. When I reached the summit a dude in tight clothing ran past me. Then not long after, a young woman came running up to the summit and disappeared over the other side. Trail runners. Strange creatures. They must have super powers, I thought. 

Since then I have gone back to Little Black a handful of times, one of the most memorable was with Scott W. on Valentines Day. Snow and fog. We came very close to the summit through a full-on blowing snowstorm. We snowshoed back down and nearly got lost in the fog on the long ridge that connects to Avenues Twins.

This year I entered my first race, the Wahsatch Steeplechase. However because of late heavy snow, the June race had to be re-routed to trails across canyon. I ran it, but I had obvious need of serious training if I am to make a good showing next year. So I intend to go back up Little Black several times this year,and because the route is snow free now and will be for at least another week, I will focus my attention to this area. Also, with the Buffalo 100 coming fast in March, the trails above SLC will be good preparation.

 This evening I let out of work at precisely 3:30 PM and drove to the Utah State Capital. At 3:30 I was moving, and I dropped into Memory Grove and ran the Canyon bottom path up to meet the Canyon road, then I followed the route up to the Twins. I topped out on both Twins, then turned East toward Little Black. As I was at the foot of Black Mountain the sun did a brilliant visual swan song which lit up the entire mountainside. all other mountains tho the left and right remained in dark cloud shadow. At the summit I went as far as the register, sitting under someone's lost baseball cap. The true summit is further and beyond the crags, but with nothing except a ribbon of gold spanning the Western horizon, all natural light was gone, and soon that golden ribbon was gone as well. I descended in darkness, guided by my headlamp. Lower down it was warm. This is December?