Back in my rock climbing days there was a guy who used to hang out at our local crag and watch us climb. He wasn't a climber, but after a few weeks of watching he started showing up with some new climbing shoes and a chalk bag and climbing around at the base of the routes. After a few days of this, we were cleaning up at the end of the evening and still had a top rope set up on a short but difficult 5.12. I could see this guy kinda eyeing it and asked if he wanted to give it a go. He said "you bet!" and we found him a harness, tied him in, and he proceeded to top rope FLASH the route!! I had never, and still have never seen anything like it. To put it in running terms, imagine someone who has never trained, never run more than a couple of miles, never even had on running shoes, borrowing a pair of your shoes and going out and running a sub-18 5k right out of the box.
Well, I think I met the trail running equivelent of this climber today. I ran over Indian Trail (NO SNOW!! FREAKING TRAIL RUNNING BLISS) to Ogden Canyon to watch and cheer on the marathoner's. When I got to the canyon there was a late 40ish lookng guy in jeans and a jean shirt button up jogging up and down the canyon cheering everyone. He saw me, asked if I had run over too and told me he had as well, said it took him 55 minutes from 22nd! Pretty freaking good for jeans and a button up! I looked at his shoes and he had on beat up old pair of Cascadias. We talked and cheered runers for about 20 minutes, he told me he loved hiking and really wanted to get into trail races, but just never had. He said he loved to Uintas and had done Kings Peak in a day. I asked him how that was and he said it was fun and took him about 7 hours! (pretty good for a hiker I think). We exchanged contact info and I said I had to head out and he said wanted to come with me. We started hikiing up the trail and proceeded to power hike me into to ground. I was working to keep up with him, and he was up in front talking non-stop. About 1/4 mile in there is a little dowhill section and he blasted down that at what had to have been a sub 6 pace (in jeans) and continued motoring up without skipping a beat. In the conversation he mentioned that he was really out of shape and hadn't been hiking at all this spring other than a six miler witth the scouts from his ward! Ha! This guy is tough, if he gets after it watch out! I finally pulled ahead and went on in front when I started running. He was behind me talking still saying he was impresed that the trail could be run, and said that he was gonna start getting out more so he could run up it too!
As far as my run goes, really enjoyed Indian Trail! Absolutely perfect! This has to be one of the best trails on the Wasatch Front. SO glad to finally have a mid-elevation trail clear and in great shape. Nice to get off the BST freeway and run alone again. I kept the pace easy and ran all of it from 27th to the canyon and from the bridge to the BST on the way back. My Achilles felt fine on this section, a little ache on the way back that went away after a few minutes. After getting back on the BST and dodging 10 mtn bikes and 4-5 runners in the 3/4 mile between Indian and Taylor Canyon, I headed up Malan's. Felt ok, but bonky, running up (short walk through the creek that used to be the trail) to the bridge, kept a run going to the the overlook, but my heel was getting super achey so I backed off to a power hike. Lots of people up there today. Nice easy run back down. Trail a bit snow covered in sections up high, slick, probably couldn't run through it myself.
Had a good time cheering the marathon runnners. Saw lots of friends, including Mr Bozung who let me know that Squaw would for sure be an out-n-back rather than the standard course due to washed out trail and road in Hobble Creek area.
Run stats: 16 miles or so, 5000 vert or so, nice and easy all the way through.
Gald the heel held up through Indian, but disapointed at how bad it felt on Malan's. Sore the rest the night. I knew htis might be the case and need to be ok with where it is at. Progress, but still not enough. Seems to be good on runs up to 10 miles and relatively flat BST type runs. Over 10 miles and with signifigant climbing isn't there yet. | 