Been wanting to get up and do this one again since I first ran it last year. I'm still calling it the best route in our local hills. Has a bit of it all, sweet mellow single track, brutal climbs, some off trail scrambling, ridge running, lots of peaks and a big 5000 foot drop back to the car. I was beat going in, and was prepared to turn around at any point if I wasn't feeling it. The first 10 miles climb almost 5000 feet to the top of Mt Allen, and it was slow and painful on heavy legs. I did run (with ample shuffling) every step to the peak again, and comparing to last year's Garmin data, I guess I PR'ed by less than a minute, wouldn't have guessed that at all. Pretty much that's where all comparison's ended. The last half was a struggle, I was shot! Death marched and shuffled the last 5 miles, "Running" down Wheeler's slower than I ran up. Ha! looking forward to a few very easy daze! Pics from last year:
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