Long run the hard way
I’m not usually an early bird when it comes to running, but with family stuff to do today and a pending storm in the afternoon I mustered it up and got out early today. I wanted to get one more tough, long run in before tapering for Buffalo. There is quite a bit of dry trail down low around here right now, but most of it has mellow climbs and requires out-n-back-running in circles to get in mileage. I hadn’t run on the trails below Snowbasin all winter, so I felt like I was gambling a little to try and head that way not knowing if would be packed out. Should have known those hardy snowshoers had been hard at it all winter making great, packed out trail. I started at in Ogden Canyon at the Wheeler TH and headed up! Wheeler to icebox to maples to Snowbasin.
I have had this idea all winter that running up the ski runs before the resort opens would be a good way to get vertical, so that was the plan today. I learned a couple of things immediately. One, while skiing on corduroy groomed snow is dreamy, running up steep corduroy groomed slopes is TOUGH like running uphill on slippery sand. Two, hills that seem flat while skiing are STEEP when running up them. Three, running down groomed runs is almost as much fun as skiing them. I felt good in that I was able to maintain something resembling a run from base to the top of Snowbasin, ran from Earl’s to Needles lodge, 2300 vert, in 49 minutes, which for me is good time even in the summer. From the top of Needles I headed South to Strawberry and climbed up a little toward the top of that lift. Looking at the time, I turned around before I got to the top. Ran down Strawberry to Penny lane, headed back toward the resort base. I ended up taking a packed trail down to Snowbasin road and running down the pavement, ( I was looking at all the skiers headed up to where I had already been that morning, what a great feeling being up there on the hill , just me, the sunrise, good music, and a couple of snow cat groomers) after a mile or so, I dropped into the East fork trail and making it back down to Wheeler’s and the car.
Had a great run! Felt a little sluggish. Miles? I don’t know, about 15-17 I would think, just knowing the miles of most of it from summer runs. Total vertical, about 4700 ft. My dog insisted on going this morning, and rather than have him wake up the family I took him knowing he couldn’t run with me on the ski resort, but figured he could sleep in the truck as well as at home. I felt bad on the way back home and still had a little time, so we ran my short loop in the rain on the trails above my house netting another 3 miles. Total running time 3:55. Total miles? 17 or more for sure, vert 5000 ish. Dog’s happy, wife and kids are happy, I’m ecstatic. Great morning, love this running thing!
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