Like the Gdoc, I too visted an old lover this evening. Headed up Wheelers to run a loop on the trails below Snowbasin. I haven't run up here since before the Bear 100 in September so I was looking forward to cruising on some of my favorite trails in the area. As I approached the trail head I noticed a sign that said all trails in the are closed to all users due to the wet conditions and the possibilty of trail damage. To me this seemed to apply most aptly to mtn bikes and horses so, perfect, that means nobody around! I knew there was a chance that the trails could be very soft and muddy, and knowing this was prepared to turn around if I felt my passage would do harm, either to the trail or myself.
Yes, the trails are a mess. Yes the Forest Service went to great lengths to assure that no one missed the closed singns, placing big wooden baracades at all the main trail heads. Yes I was able to pick my way through the loop, staying out of the mud by running on the edge of the trail. No way a bike or horse would get through without leaving huge ruts and holes. Most of the trails are running with water, making them like mini creeks, gave me flashbacks to the 15-20 miles of creek trails I had to run through on the Zion Traverse. Absolutely gorgeous out there! Green as a tropical island, bright white snow coverd mountains above, creeks everywhere, rivers raging, sweet trail all to myself. Icebox canyon has to be one of the sweetest one mile of trail around!
8 miles or so, 1500-1800 vert I would guess. Best run of 2011!
Ortho doc says Achilles is imroving markedly and to keep running, stretching, doing ART and more stretching, then stretch more. Funny thing is he measured my foot for an orthotic and concluded I am running in shoes a full size to size and a half small. Hmm, no wonder all my toenalis are black. He actually said the small shoes may be contributing to my Achilles issues as my pain isn't in the tendon, but in the area where it attaches to the heal, may be getting irritated my not sitting in the heal cup on my shoe properly and the shoe putting pressure on the tendon. Hmmm, a possible magic bullet? | 