Took Zion out of my legs, and put something else in.
Did VB with ScottW in the morning. He gave me great ideas on how to break 100 miles into more manageable pieces. I can mentally handle 50 miles, but I can't mentally handle 100. ScottW's poor knee was flaring, I think the vert and cold aggravated it. It was freezing! I packed food/water for more mileage than the 8 we did, thinking I'd add on after, but my hands were numb and I was frozen from the 28degree weather and wind... and Ben's been sick and I thought he might've slept in so I hurried home. Sure enough he had barely woken up and the kids were still in "pah-jay-jays." haha. So I took an hour to cook breakfast for everyone, pack lunches, load on some layers, and get everyone out the door. Then I rushed up to Lower Bell Canyon Reservoir. Then I ran and proceeded to remove all said layers since it was warm in the sun.
I've been wanting to check this trail out for quite a while, I'd heard rumors it was more technical and steep than most the trails near my house, so I was excited even if it was so short. I ran up the "easier" route (0.71 miles) did a little loop at the top, went down the steeper section (more gain/loss 0.51 miles), then turned around and went back to my car. Then I repeated it. I ended up running to the reservoir 4 times. It gave me a total vert of over 3500+ft (I don't really feel like getting out the calculator).
This was one of my idiotic yet brilliant ideas. Idiotic because I was wanting/needing a recovery run, brilliant because the thrashing of those giant step ups/downs gave my quads and knees smoething new to complain about and will probably benefit me during Bryce. I'll be out of town all week next week, but I think the following couple weeks I will repeat this adventure, adding on a repeat each time. Going up, down the opposite side, and back gives me 1138 vert (without the loop at the top). Doing that 4 times will give 4500ish vert in 10 miles. i.e. thrashing and bashing and training.
I guess I did get a recovery run this morning (sorry Scott I didn't want to run up all the hills) and then I got some training in after. Not sure if this was doubles or a long run.... whatev.
I've only got 3 weeks til my Bryce taper starts. The clock is ticking...
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