Falcon Trail, Not Twice But Once

Falcon Trail

July 24, 2010

13 miles

2:18:11

10:38 min/mile

My goal today was to run a double loop of the Falcon Trail. I flew in from Tennessee last night and was all prepared to do what I wanted when what I like to call "Intestinal Distress" hit me ... at the trailhead ... without warning ... yikes. Man, I hate that. So, a trip back home and a fresh start all around got me to the trailhead ... again, after 8am; too late for a double loop in this hot July sun. So with trepidation at a repeat performance of my earlier distress, I began my loop.

As I prefer, I started at the stadium parking lot, wound around the loop in a clockwise fashion and enjoyed the run except for the 36, yes, I counted them, 36 blinkin' mountain bikers on the trail this morning. I'm surprised I was able to run any length at all without having to pull over for them. Now, 36 mountain bikers on a trail is not usually a bad thing; however, when it is single track and some of it is on the side of mountains, that presents a different story. At times, when they ring their little bell or shout, "On your left!" I am grasping for footing right before I feel the woosh of air from their front tires in thinly veiled attempts not to, they swear, run me down. The female riders are the most kind, unless they are buff to the max and then, I swear, they are more ferocious than the men!

Fortunately for me, the way I ran the loop, both steep mountain sides were uphill and most of the mountain bikers luckily were going my way as well. This meant that yet again, I passed some on the way up to the Eagle Peak trailhead ... yes! and had a good 1.5 to 2 mile head start on them before they caught up with me in the quagmire of quicksand in front of Sijan Hall.

Weather started warm and quickly became hot as the run progressed. On top of that, we are beginning the monsoon season here and the trail is a little muggy in the mornings where trapped moisture from the previous evening's thunderstorm hangs on the trail like an oppressive overly-heated sauna.

All in all, even though I did not get 26 miles in today as I had planned and given my earlier distress that never reappeared, this was a good run for me.