trial of miles; miles of trials

Second long run down the Burr Trail. It's a nice place for me to extend my distance because it's paved but still beautiful, and challenging (downhill out, uphill back!). My initial goal was to run to the cattle guard and back-- abt 7.8 miles round trip-- since that's the longest I've done in a while. Ended up going a bit further and I think ended up between 9.5 and 10 miles round trip. I had never run so far except when I did my half marathon in Knoxville a few years ago, so to just be able to pound that out with minimal stress felt awesome. I'm starting to reap the benefits of long-term running.

After the run, met the parents of a dude I've been seeing for the first time. Way harder than running 10 miles. I think I should stick to what I'm good at :x

Shake out after work to stretch and think for a minute. It's getting crisp in the afternoons. 

confusing run down deer creek. cows had been run through. I am hoping this was more than 2.7, because it took me about 40 min. It very well might be; I can't ever tell how far I run when I run in the desert. 

lower calf creek falls & back. the GSENM website says this is 5.84 but trailhead says 3 each way. whatever. I added the run from the parking lot and my requisite "lose the trail, run up a wash, dead end." usually adds at least .25mi. took me about 70min

random run down hole in the rock road. turned on to a dirt road and ran around until I found highway 12. the autumn weather has me in a low-energy mood lately -.- kept my normal, loping 10min-ish pace.

thinking of the Moab trail marathon next November, preceded by the Top of Utah half in august. I hear logan is pretty that time of year.

Out and back down the Draw rd. Wiped from Thanksgiving! Took a week off after this to recuperate from the season and particpate in the season's-end festivities. They were quite tiring.

Flagstaff mesa loop around Buffalo Park. The altitude is just a *little* higher and the air just a *little* drier. Coming to Flagstaff and doing this run within the first day or two alway shows me where my fitness level is. This may have been the best yet (although I do cut myself some slack for the years I lived at sea level. not an easy transition). Also, I did it fairly quickly-- averaged a 10-min pace even with stops to do the weird fitness stations in the park. (: It's my intention to do this run at least twice more before I leave Flag this weekend, plus a long run (6-10mi?) this weekend if I don't go snowboarding with my dad. Either way I have a long winter of good runs and good rest ahead of me. It's nice to be on the road.

Steep uphill to the windgate overlook, then down. I had planned to do a longer run, but the trail was much steeper than I realized-- about an 800 ft gain to the overlook. Also, got my fingers velcroed together by a cactus for the first time. Overall, an excellent place for a traveling trail runner to spend some time. 

1.5 hours, but can't tell the distance, particularly now that I live a computer-free life (I make these entries with my phone). Seven miles seems like a safely conservative guess. Took bad dog Angus down the McGath Pt road. Not quite to the end, but very very close. It's weird but gratifying to run through snow with no shirt on.