Since Dad and Mom were camping out at Albion basin, and since Nate the Great clued me in, I jumped into this one knowing I haven't run much, but also knowing it's great to run for motivation.
Started slow in midpack and ran with a black Oregon shirted sprinter guy who walked pretty quickly, about a 1/2 mile in I was reduced to walking as well. Walking fast wasn't quite as good as the jog bounce but cardio was still trucking, even with a walk. 1300 feet elevation gain will do that. Ran with a guy for a while once I found my walk/jog rhythm but he fell off. Then passed a girl while still on the trail up, passed a guy I'd chatted with at the beginning, and we were up to the start of Cecret lake trail, all walking here. But before that saw Dad, Rylee and Phin whereupon Dad informed me that Nate was "way ahead." Umm, really? The greatest Hornok runner alive is beating his older, slower, out-of-shape brother? {Canned laughter}
Passed a lot of hikers on the trail but at that point I had my sights set on an older female runner in orange who was eating up people. Passed two at the beginning of Cecret trail, and one finally at the end, then quick fleeting glimpse of the lake before the crash into construction zone before steep zip up another ridge. Passed two more up to ridge (may have been 8 milers). Then the glorious downhill where my weight to strength ratio can be at full advantage, i.e. my weight propels me down .... fast. Incredible how running downhill seems like there was no way that you actually ran that much uphill.
I was able to pass a skinny chick here and towards the end before Sugarloaf also able to pass two more guys, but speedy Orange girl was having her way. I was no match. Once back on the trail back to lodge never really even glimpsed her except at the very end, probably lost some ground to her, maybe 1-2 minutes behind her. Sprinted thru the finish for a quad-busting end. Congratulated Orange.
Then walked up a few hundred yards back to see Nate do his thing. Probably 3 minutes ahead of 2nd place, who pointed to Nate knowing he was the man. A free slice of cold pizza and a change of shoes and drive later and sat around the campfire for a bit eating hotdogs and oreos by firelight.
Thank you all-wise Creator of forest and trees and trails and snails.
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