Runnin' Adventures of the WLB

Woke up early to run with the Davis County Crew/Crazies. Nine people showed up this morning so it was a good group. Twinkies, Steve, Ryan, Casey, Lane, Jeff, Sam, Scott (I think) and me!

We did a nice figure 8 run from the Farmington Pond along the lower terrace trail (Twinkies and I were just behind Casey and Lane in front so we missed the turn to the trail and ended up on the firebreak road for a while until we saw them above us and trekked up to meet the rest of 'em!) then down Shepard and up to the BST in Fruit Heights to Bair Canyon. Doing that section from the pond to Shephard completes my coverage of the Wasatch front in Davis County up until Bair - just have that little section between Bair to the East Kaysville park we run with dorsimus a lot.

At Bair we took the lower section - trespassing for a little bit until we made it back to Shephard where we went UP UP UP to the upper terrace trail.

My feet were bugging me again... I'm still not sure what it is as my Chiropractor in-laws don't seem to think it's a problem...

Continued along the awesome upper terrace in a cool fog, then headed back down to the pond.

It was a bit wet overall - but the trails were beautiful and it didn't really rain on us much!

Definitely nice to get out in the morning again!

First run in ten days!

First run in a new pair of vivobarefoot Breathos!

Started from Freedom Hills and ran around the park and then up the switchbacks when my arms and legs started itching like MAD. This has happened to me a few times before, but it hasn't happened in a while, so I figured my allergies were acting up, especially since the sage brush is really blooming and fragrant right now. Super uncomfortable.

Having dealt with it before, I knew if I kept going, it would eventually go away once my body started sweating more. Not a fun way to start a run though.

 The shoes did really good up the switchbacks. The traction on the bottom of those Breathos is great, but I think I got a European size too big on these...

I ran along the Firebreak/BST until above the neighborhoods I grew up in then headed up towards the trail to Sheep Rock instead of taking the firebreak to Rick's canyon - but then headed over above the waterfall and climbed down into it.

Then I followed the trail out to below the Haddad's house and back onto the Firebreak BST until Parrish Creek - where I saw the windstorm had blown down both the nice trail sign they have off the firebreak road:

AND a big tree had fallen and smashed part of the great bridge over the stream.

I went up the canyon a tiny bit to a little waterfall, then went over the fallen tree and up the other side until the bottom of the switchbacks I ran a week and a half ago, then turned around and headed back.

After about 5 miles I noticed something about the shoes. I'm not entirely sure if it is because they aren't the right size, or if I'm just not used to this minimal of a shoe while running, or if the mix of hard heavy traction and minimalism was something my legs didn't like, but for the next 2 miles including coming DOWN the Freedom Hills switchbacks I normally blaze down, I was in pain. And a lot slower than I wanted to be.

So we'll see how it goes next time I try those shoes out. I don't want to judge them quite yet...

Felt like I needed to hit the pavement today so I ran from my house over the freeway and onto the paved Legacy Parkway trail.

Ran 2.62 miles out and back... so 1/5th a marathon in honor of Boston. Kind of silly, but I felt like doing that.

Ridiculous. Words can't even describe my thoughts about that horror.

Ran in my older shoes that are probably in need of retirement, but I sold the Breatho's to my younger brother because they just aren't the right size. I might try them again in the future - but hopefully I'll get to try some Altra Superiors first.

Ran to Flag Rock with MVH and dorsimus. We did most of the Flag Rock Run but backwards. I think it's faster the regular way! I really struggle going up the North Side, although this time I felt a little better than I have before, which is especially sad because I felt ridiculously slow and tired.

It was COLD because of a nice wind that kept a blowin. That wasn't fun, but the rest was nice.

We stopped by Patsy's mine because MVH hadn't been there. Dorsimus and I went all the way to the back.

It was good to get out - I've been in a bit of a grumpy funk lately. Still trying to get out of it. I think I'll go get some ice cream.

That'll help!

Started at Freedom Hills - up the switchbacks waiting at the top to take some pictures of my kids who were hiking. My 8 year old was not very far behind me! Impressive little guy.

Then I headed South along the Firebreak road and up to the top of the Ricks Creek Waterfall, where I turned around and headed back North - but up along the trail below Sheep Rock instead of the Firebreak. Headed up along the flats and then headed up the road to Little Valley, back down by El Capitan (I think that might be the first time I've been on that part of the Davis Creek trail this year!) up to the waterfall to take a pic of the petroglyphs for my kids, and back down to the Davis Creek Trailhead, then back along the Firebreak road to the top of the Freedom Hills switchbacks.

 Looked down at the park and saw my van still there, but I didn't see the family - so I thought they might still be on the firebreak road (I figured they'd hiked up to the Ricks Creek Waterfall and they might not have made it back yet) so I continued back along to where it meets the road, turned back and took the lower road back up to the switchbacks, then ran down them to meet the family at the park.

Fun afternoon!

Ran up the Centerville Switchbacks from the Parrish Lane Trailhead. 2 miles up, almost 2000 vert up (or 1600, depending on what you go off!), 2 miles back down.

Slow up - just below 20 minute/mile average. Made it down in less than 15 minutes, my quads are killing me today.

http://runkeeper.com/user/warlordblade/activity/171205740?

Nice birthday run.

Wow it's been over a month since I've done more than10 miles!

Fantastic day (finally 75°) for a great run up to Little Black and around those trails with dorsimus, Mark, Josh, Zac, and Andy.

Definitely a good outing - and nice to see the top of Little Black, even though it was rough slow going!

Tuesday morning run with the Davis County Crew. Steve, Ryan, Jeff, Sam, and Twinkies.

Headed on the lower terrace trail over to Shepherd Creek then up from there up the Francis Peak Trail for a couple miles and then back down. Sam went back a bit earlier, Jeff and Steve continued on to Bair Canyon, and Twinkies went ahead on the way back so I'm not sure where he went, but his car was gone when I got back.

Ryan and I took the upper terrace back. Beautiful morning run!

Third run in a row with some major vert and major quad-busting downhills. That is a lot more tiring! I gotta work on those downhills though I'm not as fast as I was last year.