Training Log - Sunday January 31, 2010

So I finally convinced my fiancee to go for a trail run with me. However, I almost turned her off of it before we ever really got going. For people who do not know me, I am LOST without any type of GPS device, be it running, driving or doing anything else that requires some sense of direction. As a result, I turned what was meant to be an easy 2 mile introduction to trail running into a 4 1/2 mile trail adventure that included significant climbs as well as icy slopes. Not really the best way to convince someone that you are not crazy and that this is actually fun. Anyway, my getting lost allowed us to drop a layer of clothing when we passed our car during the unscheduled detour. The temps atop of Monte Sano Mountain where in the low 30s and required two layers on top as well as gloves and a hat.
Some of the trail sections were covered in what I can only describe as icicles rising from the ground like grass. As you can tell, I am not very good at describing nature's beauty. Suffice it to say it was pretty cool. We started our trail run by running the North Plateau Loop. After another check of the map, we started to follow the North Plateau Loop again, only this time turning onto the next trail section (Sinks Trail) as originally planned. From there, we followed the trail to Logan Point Trail > Stone Cuts Trail > Sinks Trail > South Plateau Trail. With all of the ascents and descents and getting lost, I think she might still have enjoyed it, judging from the fact that she wants to do it again next Sunday, only with less climbing. Overall, it was a great day for a Sunday run on the trails and we both enjoyed it. Tip to the local runners: the trails are still very muddy in many sections. By the way, my homemade gel provided a welcome snack after the run.