Day 36 - Getting there

After a night of not that much sleep I woke up feeling tired and coughing. The morning got better and I started feeling a change for the better - at least for now. Hopefully I will feel good enough for the 50k that I will be running on Saturday. One thing with running for long periods of time you learn to push through things you never would of before. Just like when you have a cold you feel bad but you have to keep moving and it will get better soon. Ultra running is so much like life – you have your ups and downs – just keep moving forward and you will be fine.

My walk was windy today and I could feel it blowing through my other vest that is not wind proof. It is amazing what wind proofing can do for a coat. The energy level is still not there to push my walks. I’m getting better every day but not 100%. 

Tonight I felt like I could throw down a good run. I went with an 8 mile loop and it went really well. I ran a 7:30 first mile which felt good. I tried to stay with that pace and not run any faster. 7:25 was my final pace for the 8 mile loop and I didn’t feel exhausted after I was finished. Tonight I also saw 2 people walking what look like was for exercise. I know that might sound funny but I don’t see that many people walking in my town exercising – at least when I am out running through it.

Today I leave you with a really cool video from another ultra runner Karl Meltzer from Utah. But first I have a little story of my own about Karl. My friend Dan and I got to meet Karl on his Appalachian Trail run in 2008. You could track him on his website and I knew he should be in our area that morning. I ran over to Hawk Mountain Road to run a couple of miles with him. I waited and waited and waited some more. Well I was thinking he already went through and I missed him. I went home and forgot about it for a while. Later that day I thought I would try and go to a different section of the Appalachian Trail to meet him. I got in my car and made a left out of my drive way and looked a head about 50 yards and there was an RV pulled off the side of the road with someone talking to a neighbor. When I went by I looked over and there was Karl’s RV. I got out of my car and went over and told them I was looking for them earlier in the day. His crew was looking for directions to the Hamburg Reservoir – yeah I know where that is I said and I showed them the way there. On our way there I called Dan and he met me at the reservoir. We got to talk to his crew for awhile and they said Karl should be coming through in a couple of minutes. We asked them if they needed anything and they requested some adult beverages. After a quick trip to the local pizza shop I was back and we were all walking up to where the AT runs through to meet Karl with some of the beverages. In no time we look up and there was Karl. From there he decided to do one more 6 mile section before the day was over. He quickly got what he needed for his next section and he was off with beverage in hand. The crew invited Dan and I to the next section to wait for him. When we got there they were already cooking his supper and had everything ready for him. When Karl arrived he was ready to eat and do a little carbo loading. We talked to him for a little and then we headed out. That day Karl ran I think 55 miles. The reason why I missed him in the morning was he started running the wrong way and arrived at that spot a lot later then he was suppose to. The signs around here read like the picture below. We were told when he started running he thought he was heading towards Georgia. He didn’t realize it until the sun stated to come up that he was not. The sign reads Appalachian Trail – Maine to Georgia. Which Georgia on the sign has an “N” below it which means is goes north – kind of confusing.

Appalachian Trail Sign

 

Melter Luge 2011

1-5-2011 - 2.8 miles - 39:17 - walk
1-5-2011 - 8 miles - 59:17 - run

Day 35 - Blahhh

The sunrise was awesome today. I got this pic with my phone and again in no time the amazing colors were gone. This is one thing to look forward to in the winter when the only colors seem to be are browns, grays and sometimes white:) Only a couple of months and the green will start shooting up from the ground. I really appreciate the change of the seasons more now running in the mountains year-round. It is so cool to see the changes in the mountains on a daily basics.

Sunrise 1-5-2011

I’m still not feeling the best today but I decided to go for my walk. I didn’t walk as fast as I normally try to. Just to be out moving forward was my goal. It did warm up and that felt great. I passed one guy on my walk today maybe he was out for a New Year’s Resolution walk.

On my way home after work the sunset was just as cool as the sunrise today. I did get one pic but it looked so much better than the picture shows. Once being home for awhile I knew tonight I was going to have to take off from running. My cold is not getting any better and I feel drained. I decided to bag the run and try and get some sleep.

Sunset 1-5-2011

1-4-2011 - 2.8 miles - 37:32 - walk

Day 34 - Feeling a little better

I woke up today feeling a little better. I still have the nose thing going on and I will leave it at that. I checked the temps before I went for my walk and it said 32º F and feels like 24º F. It sure felt like 24º F with the wind in my face for about 15 min. It was great to be back walking at lunch. I kind of missed it after being away last week.

It was a lot easier leaving for my run tonight at 6:30. I feel like I am getting some energy back and that is a good thing. The weather was perfect for running tonight. The route was all on road and it was fun to be back running on one of my regular courses. I had the headphones on tonight and was listening to some old nostalgia radio stations for about 6 miles then I need to play some faster music. Then Kickstart my Heart came on by Motley Crue and I just took off running. It was like my legs had a mind of their own and I just held on. The next song slowed a little and I was back to my regular pace for the rest of the run. Those quick burst of fast running to a great song are some much fun.

Below is a picture of one of my favorite quick meals I make after some longer runs. You can use any ingredients you like. Sometimes I will add black beans, fresh tomatoes or avocados. Avocados are added after baking.

1-3-2011 - 2.8 miles - 36:59 - walk

1-3-2011 - 10.50 miles - 1:26 - run

Day 33 - One of those days

Today was one of those days I didn’t want to get out of bed. My throat was very sore and my nose was stuffy. It’s been a while since I had a cold and I guess it is my turn:( One thing I did notice over the years of running my colds don't last as long compared to when I didn't run. I waited until the afternoon to go out for a run. It was not going well I felt cold and I didn’t want to go. I thought I should at least get my running clothes on and see how I feel. Once the clothes were on I started to warm up and felt a little better. I headed out the door around 3 wearing my New Balance 101's. I only wore them on one run and my legs got pretty beat up on the roads. Today I was going up to run in the mountain to see how they stick on the rocks. Being a very minimalist shoe your feet really feel naked in them especially on the rocks. They stuck pretty well on the rocks but I won’t be using them all the time. I can only imagine how you foot will feel when you kick a rock on the front, side or a stick tries to go through the side - not good. Lucky for me I didn’t do that today. With the amount of rock running I do I can't risk running with very little protection on my feet. Now it is off to rest.

1-2-2011 - 8 miles - 1:25 - run

Day 32 - Happy New Year 2011

January 1, 2010 - That means 4 months to go of training. It seems like yesterday I just started training for this race. Time is moving fast. Before today I only ran 1 time in the last 7 days. Disney vacations will do that to you. We had a great time and kept busy the whole vacation. We were usually up by 7:30/8 a.m. and out the door by 9 a.m. and back in bed by 11 p.m. With that schedule there was not a lot of time for running  - at least I wasn't making anytime for it. The weather was in the high 30's with 30 mph winds and no sun some of the days. I felt colder then the low 20's back home before we left. The girls should make great ultra runners staying on their feet for that long and we never came back to the room once we left in the morning until we got back at night.

Today I thought I better try and catch up for the running I missed last week. I know you can't do that but I was going to try. The first run I was out the door by 11 a.m. It warmed up really fast today and it felt great. I headed right to the mountain. The run was up on my favorite parts of the mountain - Pulpit Rock and down to the Blue Rocks. There where a lot of hikers out today and I wished everyone I saw a "Happy New Year". It felt great to be back on the mountain.

The view from the Blue Rocks Campground

The view from the Blue Rocks Campground looking up at Pulpit Rock

The girls where heading to the movies so this was my chance for another run. I left around 6:50 and it was very warm night. No one is out so I have the whole town to myself. I finished with 9 miles and just over 20 for the day. Off to bed for a good night of rest. Happy New Year!

1-1-2011 - 11.25 miles - 2:15 - run

1-1-2011 - 9 miles - 1:18 - run

Day 24 - Off to the flat land

After a fun run last night and full night of sleep it's time to pack today. The family and I are off to see Mickey and his friends. First the second little one was off to the doc to make sure the cough is just a cold and nothing else and it is just a cold. I got to sneak out for a slow 5 mile run before we left. Here are some pics of my run. Merry Christmas. (This was suppose to be posted when I got to Disney but there was no free WiFi so I waited until I got back.)

The view from Pulpit Rock

The view from Pulpit Rock

Watch out for the ice!

The Hamburg Reservoir 

The Hamburg Reservoir 

12-24-2010 - 5 miles - 57:00 - run

Day 23 - Last day of work

My last day at work for the year is finally here. I changed my loop up for my walk today and it wound up being 3 miles. It felt good to see some different scenery. The wind was really blowing when I hit the wide open fields. All my fast walking so far since starting my training back up I have been using the Keen Voyageur Mid hiking boots. They feel like sneakers and with the side ventilation they don't get hot. A great hiking or walking shoe.

Today at work I was listening to some faster up beat music and that got me charged for tonights run. At that point I knew I wanted to run at a faster pace for my 7 mile loop. I haven't ran all out since last week so I was ready to give it ago again. After the 3rd mile I started to have a little down moment with my stomach and this is where you have to remember to keep pushing on. It is real easy at those points to slow down and go easy. After a couple minutes it felt a little better so I kept pushing along and held on for the last 2 miles. 48:06 was my final time for my 7 mile loop and my fastest time so far this month.

Below is a video of the song that got me charged up to go out and run at a fast pace. The Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl puts everything into this song and I tried to do the same thing with my run tonight. You can just feel the energy in the crowd and on stage - great song!

12-23-2010 - 3 miles - 38:23 - walk

12-23-2010 - 7 miles - 48:06 - run

Day 22 - Club run

No deer on my walk today but I had my camera ready. That is probably why I didn't see any. The picture below I snapped today on my walk with my cell phone. Then I tweaked it a little more then I normally do.  Not sure if I really like it. My legs are really feeling strong on my walks. Usually when I start up walking the first couple of weeks my shins get pretty sore from the fast pace. The hiking I did in October and November I think really helped make my legs get stronger than other years.

I headed down to the Wyomissing tonight to run with the running club I belong to (Pagoda Pacers). The traffic was heavy and I hit almost all the lights on my drive down. I actually got there with a couple of minutes to spare. The run tonight had over 30 runners making there way around the area. It is always nice to see a lot of people showing up for club runs. I can't make them all but I try to get to a lot of them. Tonight the run went along busy roads, through the Holiday Lights at Gring's Mill, Penn State Berks campus and some shopping center parking lots. You know most everyone in there cars that we ran by were out fighting their way from store to store to get last minute shopping done. I'm so glad I was the one running tonight and not in my car being stressed out looking for gifts that are sold out.

12-22-2010 - 2.8 miles - 35:49 - walk

12-22-2010 - 5.35 miles - 45:00 - run

Day 21 - What the buck

It was another sunny and windy day on my walk at lunch. A couple clouds in the blue sky. On my way back I pass a wooded section of land. There was a stick on the ground and I kicked it off the side of the road. When I did that I kicked up a bunch of stones into the leaves and scared two deer a buck and a doe. They popped right up running into the field above them. They might sit in there every day and I never noticed them. I will be keeping an eye out for them from now on.

I made it out the door around 6 tonight and the moon was looking pretty cool with some clouds around it. I usually try an run fast on a Tuesday night right from the start but not tonight. I just wanted to keep a nice pace the whole run not to fast and not too slow. I had about an hour and half to run so I thought I would try to get in 10 miles. I looped around town trying to hit all the hills and then finishing with a really flat section. The final mile and a half was really fun checking out all the holiday lights around the neighborhood.

Tomorrow I will be running with the club and I can’t wait. Running alone is ok but when you can share it with other runners it is so much better. Below is a video from Málaga, Spain of the El Caminito del Rey walk way that will get your heart pumping and your hands sweating – CRAZY FUN!

12-21-2010 - 2.8 miles - 34:56 - walk

12-21-2010 - 10 miles - 1:19 - run - 450 feet elevation

Day 20 - Almost full moon

Today’s walk at work my legs didn't feel the greatest but the time was as good as last week’s time when I felt great. Some days you don't feel the best but your time doesn't reflect it. You don't always feel the best in a race at different times and you will have your ups and downs and try to keep moving forward. Training when you don't want to helps push through times like this in a race.

Tonight’s run I really didn’t feel like going out but I couldn’t miss the almost full moon at the top of the mountain. Full moon is at at 3:13 a.m. Tuesday. I was slowly out the door around 6:50 but within the first half mile I was moving along well and felt good. The moon was in and out of the clouds my whole run. When it was out I didn’t even need a headlamp. If there would have been snow on the ground it would have looked like daytime. When I made it up to Pulpit Rock the wind was blowing. I got my camera out and got a couple of pictures after the clouds moved – not the best but they look all right. It is always fun trying to warm your fingers up after having them out of yours gloves for a couple of minutes in the cold. I put my camera away and ran back down. I hit the road section and saw some eyes staring at me about 50 yards ahead. I’m not sure what it was maybe a cat but I had to run by it. So I picked up the pace running towards the eyes and the eyes started to run away from me stopping to look back at me a couple of times until ducking in the trees. Then I took off in a full out sprint not sure why but I did and it was fun.

12-20-2010 - 2.8 miles - 35:48 - walk

12-20-2010 - 7 miles - 1:07 - run - 950 ft. elevation

Day 19 - Fun in the sun

Lately the weekend long runs are a lot of fun. Just going out for a long time and not worrying about a pace. Right now I am trying to build some good base mileage and have fun. After a good night sleep the legs felt pretty good after yesterday. Today I made it out the door around 12 and the temps were above 30°F. Felt like a heat wave after running in the low 20's in the dark last week.

On the road for a mile or two and then into the mountains to get lost. When I run by myself I usually go right up the road hill to Pulpit Rock. It gets the heart rate up and is one of the steepest hills to run to get to the top. My thought is if I am training for a mountain race I need to hit the biggest hills I can find if I want to be ready for this race. 

The view from Pulpit Rock

The view from Pulpit Rock

After getting some pictures at Pulpit Rock the AT leads me to the blue trail which runs down to the Blue Rocks Campground. This place is packed in the spring/summer/fall with campers from all over. Right now it is a ghost town. Once you get on the blue trail it is a very rocky section which I like. Even after I rolled my right ankle really bad at the end of June on this trail. I still can't stay away from it. Below is a video I made to show what the last part of the trail looks like.

Leaving the campground you hit a yellow trail which climbs for over a mile and a half with over 700 feet of climb. I now realize carrying 3 full bottles, food and camera going up this climb makes your legs burn. That is ok with me. It makes you feel like you are running on tired legs which you can never have enough practice running with tired legs. The last section of the yellow is straight up for maybe 200 or 300 feet and your lungs and legs feel alive after that climb. Once you make it up the yellow you are now on the AT. From there I made my way to the the Pinnacle and it was real clear today. The houses and barns really stood out. Maybe it was the way the sun was shinning on everything.

The view from the Pinnacle

The view from the Pinnacle

Back on the AT to head home and I passed a friends dad that I know. He said he hikes everyday up here and that is his medicine to keep him healthy. I was thinking about that after he said that and it is so true. A lot of the people I met through running, I now call friends, say pretty much the same thing. We all like to get outside, run for hours, relieve some stress, have fun and feel so much better after - our medicine I guess. To this day it still amazes me that you can run with someone for a couple hours on the trail and you know them better inside and out than most people you knew for years. That is one thing that really hooked me to this sport. The honesty and kindness of the people I met running on the trail in the last 5 years is amazing. I love this sport!

The blue trail above the Hamburg Reservoir 

12-19-2010 - 15 miles - 3:08 - run - over 1800 ft. elevation

Day 18 - Long run day

Out the door a little after 7 a.m. It was cold but no wind. I was running by myself until 9 a.m. where I would hook up with some other runners at the Hamburg Reservoir. The run started with a down hill road section to the Bartram Trail in Hamburg. From there it is 2 miles until the Appalachian Trail crosses in Port Clinton. While running on the Bartram Trail I passed a friend Brian running with his dog. He was on his way back to the parking lot where he started. To get off of the Bartram Trail you have to go down a step little section and then go through the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company's property.

A side view of the new bridge in Hamburg

Bartram Trail heading to the AT

The Bartram Trail with the sunrise

Once you get through the little town of Port Clinton the trail run's along the Schuylkill River. Then you go under the Rt. 61 bridge, cross Port Clinton Ave. and then the climb starts. The climb goes up about 800 feet in just over 2 miles to the top of the mountain. You really warm up on this section.  On top of the mountain you can look down on the town of Hamburg and see all the development over the last couple of years(Cabala's, Lowe's and soon Walmart) While running back to the reservoir I knew I wouldn't make it back in time to meet the group if I stayed on the AT.  I headed down a lower trail that goes to the same place but takes away a big climb away.

The view from the AT

Appalachian Trail

Looking down at Cabela's Lowe's and Walmart

Arriving in the parking lot at 9:01 the group was there and ready to run.  We headed back up the mountain running on the AT, Al's short cut where I tripped and fell, AT, Red Trail, Blue Trail, Spring Trail and back on the AT and out to the Pinnacle. We regrouped at the Pinnacle and looked around, got a group photo and back on the AT. On the way back Dan picked up the pace and we were flying over some rocky sections and it felt great. We regrouped back at Pulpit Rock, headed down the road hill to the red trail and back to the parking lot. I said go bye to everyone and ran back home. Great trails and great friends make a great way to start the day.

Lori, Kallie(dog), Dean, Joanne, Dan, Beth, Pete, Libby and Andy

Lori, Kallie(dog), Dean, Joanne, Dan, Beth, Me, Libby and Andy

12-18-2010 - 20.5 miles - 4:25 - run - around 2000 ft. elevation

Day 17 - Amazing Sunrise

The sunrise was amazing today! The picture below was taken around 7:30 a.m. Within only a couple minutes after this the clouds covered it and the sky lost its bright colors.

I didn't wear my cover over my face today at my walk and was it cold on the way back.  It was 31°F outside but the wind made it very cold. My legs were a little tired for the first half mile and they felt great by the time I finished. I am still using the Cardio Trainer on my phone to do all my walks and some runs. It seems pretty accurate on all my walks so far. This whole week I tested out my new Elements vest from Under Armour. It has some wind proofing in it which worked really great to keep my core warm by preventing any wind from coming in at the zipper. I never really used Under Armour but my great neighbor hooked me up with some great discounts.


After another cold week of running and walking I took today off from running. The down day should help give me more energy for this weekends long runs. The little ones went to a friends house and my wife and I went out for dinner and a movie at home (The Hangover). By the time we got home from picking the little ones up it was almost 10 and I was beat.

12-17-2010 - 2.8 miles - 36:02 - walk

Day 16 - Pedal to the metal

The sunrise was beautiful today. It's amazing how fast the sky's color can change at this time. If your not ready with your camera it is gone but you always have tomorrow but it will be different. I always have my family look up at the sky in the morning or night.  We have seen so many great sunrises and sunsets.

Todays fast walk at work went really well.  The temps were up a little and there was no wind. My legs felt like I could move them so much faster today then other days. Even the hills went well. Sometimes you have days like this and you can put the pedal to the metal even in a walk.

I was thinking of what my training plan is and I don't really have a training plan. I just "wing it" most of the time. Of course I do know I will run long on the weekends and have a fast run or two during the week but I never really know which day or how far until that day. Life is very busy with everything going on that I don't have time for a running plan - nor do I want one. That is another reason I have fun with running - it is mine and I can do anything I want with it. If I want to run, hike, walk while I am out there and do it fast, slow, long or short I can. There are now rules to follow other than moving forward consistently.

Tonight a couple minutes before the start of my run I was thinking to myself I want to run fast tonight. The 7 mile road course I usually run at least once a week. Starting out with a 1.3 mile of flat or down hill where you can get the legs moving right from the start.  From there the next .7 mile section climbs about 150 ft. which you have to try and push this section. The next .9 mile section is flat with a slight up grade then descends over a 190 feet where you can get the legs moving as fast as you want. The course is flat from there for the next 1.45 miles. Then the hill hits a .3 mile section that climbs 135 feet. Keeping your legs moving at this point is a challenge. Then it is downhill for the next .75 with a 140 feet of decent. The last stretch climbs around 220 feet and this is where you can have a good or an ok run. The last section really teaches me to keep moving even when everything seems to be falling apart.  Tonight I had a good night and kept focused the whole run - 48:40. Now I am ready for a long slow weekend run.

12-16-2010 - 2.8 miles - 35:48 - walk

12-16-2010 - 7 miles - 48:40 - run - 375 ft. elevation

Day 15 - Peaceful night time run

Another lovely day of off and on snow showers. Lunch time walks are really hitting the spot lately. You can go out and clear you head. My legs are feeling good right now and the fast walks are getting better. The headwinds are always a challenge on the way back. The purchase of the Under Armour Tactical HeatGear Hood to keep the cold out is really paying off.

The way back on my walk at work

Tonight I was running by 6. Night time runs in the mountains are so peaceful.  When the snow is down it lights up the mountain and you can see things you usually can't see in the dark. Full moon on the 21st should be great if there is snow around.  A little road section and into the mountains I headed. I made it up to Pulpit Rock and looked around and could not believe no one else was up there - just kidding! Not to many people make there way up there on a dark cold windy night. Last year I hiked up on New Years to see if anyone was shooting fireworks off. I heard noises but didn't see any fireworks. After the mountains I was on the road again for about 5 1/2 miles and headed back home. Finished with a nice 10 mile run.

The rock in the back reminds me of the altitude profile at the MMT 100

Below is the altitude profile of the MMT 100 course. (Pic below is from the vhtrc.com website)

Below is a little video of the view from Pulpit Rock at night.

12-15-2010 - 2.8 miles - 36:15 - walk

12-15-2010 - 10 miles - 1:34 - run - 1,000 ft. elevation

Day 14 - Chilllllly out

Everyone keeps talking about how cold it is right now in PA. But I keep reading about how cold some parts of Canada are right now -20°F. Now that is cold. 24°F in PA is cold but I have a race planned and I can't make excuses and let the weather determine my training. Cover your head, put some gloves on, get out in the world and get moving. That is what I was telling myself to do. When I know bad weather is is in the forcast I want to go out, see how bad it is and test myself.


I went out for my fast walk at lunch and it was cold. The wind was blowing and some snow was falling.  What more can you ask for than to be out in the elements waking up you senses. The feeling you get after you finish (when you get feeling back) is amazing.


On my way home tonight I was greeted with some more snow. It was only a dusting and the sidewalks and driveways were covered.  I could also see the mountains had a little coating. Later the family and I went to a Christmas program at the school at 6:30. Got home around 8 and I was out the door running in the 20° weather by 8:30 p.m. It would of been so easy to just stay home and relax but not tonight.  I started at a comfortable pace which turned into a faster pace then I was expecting tonight. After feeling really good the whole run I decided to pushed the last mile. Finishing the last mile in 6:56 felt great and my legs are going to be tired tomorrow.


Here is a great video to watch when you need a little motivation UltraRunning Video. After watching this video I want to go run!




12-14-2010 - 2.8 miles - 37:04 - walk
12-14-2010 - 7 miles - 50:20 - run

Day 13 - Monday a slow day

My wife and I had the day off.  Lucky us we got to spend some of the morning getting both cars their regular maintenance.  Then we did the grocery store, post office and then went back home for some lunch. I had a couple eggs with sour cream, salsa, cheese and black beans. A nice quick lunch before heading out for my run hit the spot.

After this weekend of what was filled with many hills my legs were a little tired today. I did a nice easy pace run all around the mountain with some road sections. I thought hunting was over for a little but I heard about 5 or 6 shots and didn't see a one person out today. These days are nice when you can relax and not have to worry about time. The views were great and the temps weren't bad with the sun out. The temps are really going to be dropping so this will be a cold week of running!

Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock

Hamburg Reservoir

The road hill (my playground) to Pulpit Rock!

Windsor Furnace area - Click on the link below for an old picture. 

You can see one of the walls still stands to the upper left of this picture.

Windsor Furnace, near Hamburg, Pennsylvania

Below is a video I took when I was out running today.  I had to convert to a different file format for it to load into the blogging program. If you keep it small it looks ok but if you open it up full screen it is not that clear.

12-13-2010 - 7.2 miles - 1:30 - run

Day 12 - The Buzzard Run

I went to run the Buzzard course today. It's a 45 mile drive from my house. Why drive 45 miles at 6:30 a.m. to run in the pouring rain for many miles you may ask. You have to run it to understand. This course is one place that you always feel good when you pull in the parking lot if you don't miss the turn. The run is around 25 miles long with 5 big hills and one cold water crossing. Below is the map from someones gps from a previous run that we did there.  My watch didn't record the whole course this time.


When I pulled in the parking lot around 7:25 a.m. there were no cars. There was suppose to be a group of runners there but most decided not to run because of the weather. After sitting in my car and getting ready to run by myself another runner Stephan arrived. That means I didn't get to have all the fun - I had to share:) One lady did stop by and asked us if we needed turn sheets for the course but I know the course. The weather forecast for the day was rain and a lot of it but that never really happened.

Stephan and I started to run and talking about what the other runners were going to miss. I don't get to run a lot with Stephan so it was great to run and talk about life and running for over 5 hours. We power hiked most of the climbs and ran everything else. Stephan ran the last hill and I tried to catch him but there was nothing in the tank.  A couple down pours here and there but overall it was a great day! Below are pics from the course and of Stephan and I.

12-12-2010 - 25 miles - 5:20 - run - 3,200 ft. elevation

The Water Tank trail

End of the Horse-Shoe trail marker.

Stephan

Me

Man made bridge on the Appalachian Trail

In the center of the picture is the last climb
straight up a pipeline. The top is over a mile
away after the creek crossing.

Stephan getting ready to cross
the creek for the first time.

One step at a time and it is cold.

Don't fall - he didn't and I didn't either.