Ran the Golf Course Loop this morning. Temperature at 6:00 a.m. was around 60. Kind of took it easy until I got to the mouth of AF Canyon. As I started up the big hill on Canyon Road I noticed another runner on the other side of the road. He was just a little ahead of me so I naturally started pushing the pace to catch him. He seemed to know that I was right behind him as he seemed to speed up as well. As we got to the top of the hill I was about the same distance behind. As we started down the hill I started to close the distance and within about a quarter of a mile I'd caught up with him (he had crossed the road in the meantime). As I pulled even with him he pulled out his earphones and we chatted for a minute. I asked him if he was training for any races and he answered that he was getting ready for the Wasatch Back. I told him I was as well (in fact, I had chosen the course we were running to simulate conditions for my second leg) and mentioned the long downhill leg I'd be running. He got a surprised look on his face and asked if I was runner #1. When I answered yes, he said he was as well. We didn't have much longer to chat at that point as he was turning off for home (he said he was finishing up an eight mile run that had taken him up the canyon). I continued on down the road and turned at the stake center to continue down 40th. A good run over all. No real aches or pains. I was a bit dry at the end as it was an unusally warm morning. |