2nd Annual Poker Run

Today was our 2nd annual Poker run.  Here is a brief description:

Throughout the year we had to declare 3 runs that we would run each week.
It had to vary every week.
For every run you missed you had to add a quarter to the "jar"

Today we ran 7 miles.  At each mile we drew a card.  The best 5 card hand would win the jar of coins and a cool medal.

Ready to run!

We decided to run the Rocky Canyon Road due to all of the days of rain that we have been having.  We started 15 minutes late because Michele had to turn around and go home for her rain jacket when Kris declared that she could seen rain clouds over the foot hills. (note: it did not rain one drop on us).

The water in the creek was higher than we had EVER seen!

The run off from the side trails convinced us that we took the right route.

Michele and Kris both spotted a dollar bill on the run.
 They both fought over who saw it first.  It went into the Runopoly jar for the winner.

At the end of the run the last card was drawn.  Lucky Lucky guess who won!

We exchanged Christmas gifts in the car, had a baby sprite, and salted pretzel cookies.  I have the best running friends ever!!!

Top 5 Best Trail Runs

Today was AWESOME!!  It does not happen very often that a trail run becomes so enjoyable and easy that you don't feel like you've ran as many miles as your Garmin says.  Today was one of those days!!

We are signed up to run the Adalpe Challenge in a few weeks and that means the dreaded training runs on Rocky Canyon Road.  I wanted to only do ONE and no more.  Michele thought maybe two.  UGH!

So we parked where the pavement turns to dirt.  This is a good place to park, lots of room.  However, there was a creepy van parked there.  You could tell that it had been there over night.  I wanted to get this run started quick because I was worried who or what was in the van!  When I started to smell cigarette smoke coming from it I was done waiting....."Let's Go!!!"  And yes, I had my pepper spray today...phew!

The climb wasn't so bad, in fact it was strangely easy.  Our plan was to run to the Three Bears Trailhead.

"How far ahead is it?"  I asked Michele.
"No, idea.  Maybe 2?"
After 2 miles I asked again.
"So, do you think it's closer to 3?"

Michele and I tend to get these ideas for routes and then we just run them.  We don't map them out, we don't check possible mileage or anything.  We just go.  So neither of us were sure how long it was to the trailhead.

Turns out it is 2.31 miles.



View of Rocky Canyon Road (where we were)



Three Bears Trail Head

Exact Mileage to the Trail Head



I have run Three Bears once and it just about killed me!  Of course that was also when I first started out running.  This time we were coming down three bears the other direction and I LOVED IT!!  It was such a wonderful run!

We climbed quite high and at the peak we had an amazing view of Rocky Canyon Road.

When eventually joined Shane's Loop and then hit the fork to return to Rocky Canyon Road.  We were only at 5.52 miles and we both felt amazing!  It was a great loop that ended up being 6.56 miles!  I felt like I had only ran 3!    This may be my new favorite loop!!

Trail Running Involves Risks

Michele gave me a copy of  a great trail running book.  It has all types of trail routes to try with included maps.  As I read the first paragraph on the first page I laughed right out loud!  It reads:

Warning:  HIKING AND TRAIL RUNNING INVOLVE A NUMBER OF RISKS THAT MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR WORSE.  THESE RISKS INCLUDE FALLING ON ROCKS, TURNING AN ANKLE, BREAKING BONES, AND GETTING LOST.

Well, let's see - Falling on Rocks - Kris has taken care of that one SEVERAL times!  Turning an angle - We have all done that many times.  Breaking Bones - Luckily none of us have done that yet  (knock on wood), and then Getting Lost - Only once did Michele and I get lost but we knew we were on the trail system somewhere... A great Blog entry to re-read.

So the reason I laughed so hard when I read this, was because that on today's trail run....we DID get lost!!!  And unlike the first time, we had no idea where the trails were!!!


THE PLAN: Run Buck Tail, Shane's Loop, Pop out onto Rocky Canyon Road (yuck) then down Shaw Mtn Road (double yuck) and finally back into the trail system at Fort Boise.  The plan doesn't always turn out as we think it will.

Mountain Cove trail is a real pretty run.  I have always liked it. Today we even saw a mother deer and her fawn leap across the trail.  Unfortunately we couldn't get the camera out of our packs in time.

And her we go once again, the first mile running on the trails is always so tough!  We parked at the lower parking lot and it was exactly a mile until we reached the really steep hill that leads to the Buck Tail trail head.  Steep hill = walk break!!!

We were uncharacteristically quiet on this run.  I don't know if we were all tired or just miserably out of shape.  I know for me it was both!  I was tired from our Eagle Green Belt run two days ago and I am still miserably out of shape.  Michele was breathing really hard too.  She said to me, "At least YOU have a reason to be out of shape."

For some reason, Kris wasn't tired at all.  She kept exclaiming how "GREAT" she felt.  What had gotten in to her?  Also notice in the picture my new running pack.  Michele no longer has to be my mule.  I got a sweet Nathan Hydration Pack.  It worked out great!

Up on Shane's loop we stopped for a water and breathing break.  Kris said, "THIS is my favorite spot!"  So she posed for a shot.

 Then Michele had to copy cat her.

I decided I am going to call this "confession hill".  Michele had a big one to reveal!!

At the Crater Crawl race we received a cute little gift bag in our race packet.

 Inside it was some small packets of shampoo and conditioner.

This morning as we stood on "confession hill" Michele asked us if we used ours yet.  Kris had, I hadn't.  Well, Michele confessed that she had used it to.  However, she thought it was sunblock - and she rubbed it all over her arms.  It was then that she realized it was a strange consistency, and re-read the label. Not sunblock Michele - SHAMPOO!

We then spent some time adjusting my pack.  It was hard to get it to the right setting so that it didn't shake a lot.  Michele helped by tightening some of the straps for me.  Finally we got it perfect!  Kris mumbled that I just needed to be fatter and then it would fit just fine.  Michele then told Kris that if she ever quit running she would probably be 400 pounds. Kris responded with the usual, "Shut your face."

After laughing like a bunch of junior high girls (I wonder if other trail users really worry about us), we resumed our run.  Happy day!! It was mostly downhill from here until..... we dropped down onto Rocky Canyon Road.  Time for fuel!!

Both Michele and Kris were super jealous of how easily I can re-hydrate on this run.  No hands!!

We felt so much more energized after we fueled up.  We were able to run down Rocky Canyon then up to Shaw Mtn Road without walking or resting at all.  Along the way we spotted a fox!!  This time we were able to get out the camera because he held still and stared at us for quite awhile.  He was quite vain and seemed to WANT his picture taken.  Kris thought he looked like a hyena

 

 At the top we visited a nice man who was watering his garden.  He was a runner as well.  He proudly declared running 33,000 miles and 25 marathons.  What an amazing feat!  We were dreading running on the pavement down Shaw Mtn Road, he told us of a secret - there is a short cut back tot the trails so we could avoid the road! 

But there was a big gate and do not trespass sign.  He assured us not to worry about that and to go ahead.  Avoid the pavement?  You don't need to ask us twice.

We headed down the really steep trail, giddy with excitement at our new find.  "He said turn right at the creek."  Michele reminded us.  We stopped, there was no more trail and we had no idea which way to go now.  We wandered around for quite awhile.  Of course Michele kept reminding us, "He said turn right at the creek."  But there was nothing resembling a trail!

We finally found this and it sort of looked like the remnants of a trail. But it quickly disappeared.  Michele insisted once more, "He said turn right at the creek."  So we went back to that spot to turn right.  Kris kept yelling from the back,  "OK Sacajawea, I'll be Clark.  You lead the way!!"

She started to move through the weeds..... Nothing.  Everything that looked like a trail only lasted a few yards!  AAAAggghhhh, how do we get out of here?  Now most normal people would have turned around, went back the way they had came, and written off this short cut as a NO GO. Well, none of us are like most people.  We were determined to figure this out!!  It's equal parts curiosity, stubbornness, and stupidity.

After wandering around through weeds for what seemed like forever  I just wasn't sure where to go.  Kris finally tromped ahead and yelled, "Follow me I will be Sacajawea!" and Michele kept saying "He said turn right at the creek."  None of us decided to just go back the way we came.

We found a way to cross the creek and come out onto the other side.  It was a lot of tall weeds and NO trails.  We knew the general direction of the main trail we were looking for, so Kris decided we were going cross country on our OWN TRAIL!

It turned out fine and we found ourselves right where we wanted to be.  It was fun to get lost.  We haven't had that kind of adventure in quite awhile.  It made our run memorable and fun.  We were prepared with plenty of water and fuel so there was no fear of DIE-ING!!  When you are prepared getting lost turns into an adventure instead of terrifying danger with no thoughts of survival (just like the time Michele and I got lost on Femrite).

It was a fun day.  We ended up with 7.7 miles.  The funny thing is that it took us over an hour and a half!  That's because we "adventured" in the weeds for so long.   We talked about how tired and worn out we seemed, even at the first mile.  Kris laughed and said, "I felt great the entire time!"  With a smile she added, "I had an energy drink before leaving my house!"  That got us all laughing again.  Had I known she was buzzed up on Rip Its, I may not have so readily followed her through all of those weeds after all!

Well, until next time....

ROBIE...we are through!

 Oh boy. Where to begin.   

Yesterday my sister, myself, the bossy-bandit and coffee-Zack finished the 35th Annual Race to Robie Creek, also know as the Run on the Sun! I am re-naming it that because it was like a BILLION degrees with no shade!  I am also re-naming it from the "toughest" half in the Northwest to the "dumbest" half in the WORLD!

So I may sound bitter, and I believe rightly so!  No one in their right minds should run a race in 80+ heat, uphill most the time, and start at NOON!  But, I am not in my right mind and apparently neither are at least 2,500 other people.  For those of you who enjoyed yesterdays heat wave in the shade with lemonade or in a pool, I so envy you!

It didn't start well for me. Last week I developed a sinus headache, cough, sore throat and slight fever.  These carried on to race day.  I showed up for the race with all kinds of medicines in my bloodstream, including a few puffs on my inhaler.  Then my water belt broke and I had to run with one of Michele's.  These were all signs that I should not run this race!

As we lined up for the last minute bathroom relief, Michele made some new BFF's in the porta potty lines.  We stamped robie tattoos on our calves and stood in a crowd of people like cattle waiting to be butchered.  That analogy is a pretty close reality to the way we all felt afterwards!



I will say this.  I do not feel guilty for having to walk as much as I did.  This is because I generally saw more walkers than I did runners.  It was just too hot to care.  I saw a man off to the side with medics and oxygen on him, his eyes were closed, not a good sign and  I saw another man on the side crying out in pain because his legs were so cramped.  I do not think anyone died though, at least not yet.



The summit is the most  grueling part of this race.  We had trained it a few times.  But yesterday they must have brought in trucks and made it not only LONGER but also STEEPER.  It just never ended!  As we were going up it there was a group of people with strange foods and cheering us on.  Michele said it's called like "temptation corner" or some dumb thing like that.  I ask you, who is gonna want a bite of sushi at mile 8 of the uphill run through fire?  Then there was a man dressed like some strange jungle man with a huge wig.  He was yelling in a megaphone telling us to pick it up and run!  The nerve!  I had no energy left but I thought, "I have just enough to go shove him off that rock and down the ravine."  Do not worry, I instead just glared at him as I WALKED by.

Kris got a picture of him as she was coming up!

As I passed each aid station I would longingly look at them and secretly wish they would call me over. "Ma'am you don't look so good. Perhaps we should help you."  But, alas they never did. I was forced to dig in and complete the race on my own power.  Which I am proud to say I did, we all did.  And we can live to tell about it.  We survived the stupidest idea ever, to run a grueling uphill race in the scorching heat, just to say that we did.

After the race, when I became less disoriented, I had time to ponder on my running career and came up with my 7 new rules to running:

1)  NO running allowed in any temperature over 65 degrees Fahrenheit!
2)  NO running in races where there are no medals awarded.  If I work that hard I want more than a bottle opener, pin, or crayon!
3)  No running in races where the finisher shirt is LAME.  Oh yes, you know which races I mean!
4)  Jodi is not allowed to run alone.
5)  Never run races when they go off clock time instead of chip time and it takes you 2 MINUTES to cross the starting line!!
6)  Never run in a race with an Asian based theme.
and 7)  Robie is DEAD to me!

I wasn't the only one who experienced so much enlightenment this race.

Coffee-Zack felt compelled to confess to his transgressions.  He had lied and told us that his longest training run was 8 miles.  Apparently it was only 4, way to go genius!  Kris realized quite a bit.  First off, a 6 hour energy drink before a race isn't much better than a 5 hour energy and neither of them last more than 1 hour.  Secondly, a three day carb load, not the best plan.  Also, her 11 trips to the summit in training did not help one bit.  She has therefore officially RETIRED from Robie, and good riddens to it! I realized that no matter what Runner's World Editors may think, running without music is STUPID!

Only Michele felt like running in brand news socks wasn't dumb.  Poor coffee-Zack ended up with elephantitis of the toes.  They were so blistered that it looked like a toe growing on a toe!  And one of Michele's porta potty BFF's found her after the race for some congratulatory chatter.

When I was getting every one's new found wisdom in the car ride home to add to this blog, Michele had no input.  She was laughing too hard to speak.  I believe it was also a touch of delirium.  If she ever returns to normal perhaps she can enlighten us.


Coffee-Zack plans on being back next year.  I say good luck to him.  I will not accompany him on this second act of stupidity.  Do it once, you are crazy, but admired for finishing.  Do it again?  Now you are just being stupid.

How much did I hate this run?  When I passed a photographer taking race pictures I gave him the universal sign for choking.  Enough said.

The Run Turns PG-13 today!!

Haven't blogged our trail runs for the past couple weeks because they have been ...well.. boring honestly.  Since we are training for Race to Robie Creek, that is where our trail runs have been.  Not really much to blog about.  For instance I could have written about last weeks run being the run of silence.  We hardly said a word to each other because it was a hard run day.  But that was it.

So today, the run became a bit more interesting.  Yes, it was still another Robie Training day, but it got spiced up a notch.  Why?  Two simple words..... BOSSY BANDIT.  That's right folks, she has emerged from her secret training.

We planned the run out earlier this week (what time to leave etc.)  But then the "weatherman" started to mix things up.  I really think we should start to refer to them as weather guessers from now on.  Anyway, he had Michele so worked up about today's weather. High winds, 100% chance of rain ALL DAY!  She sent me a text last night worried about the rain.  I said "Let's chance it."  She said, "Let's decide in the morning."  Then she said that Kris (the Bossy Bandit) was not going to go because of the rain...WIMP.  I replied "She is getting soft, What a shame."

I woke up and there was NO rain, and in fact not too many clouds.  So I dressed in the dark and tiptoed out of the house (it is spring break and I wanted to let the kids all sleep in).  When I pulled up to Michele's there was Kris in the driveway, she toughened up after all!!

Immediately spice was added to our morning.  If you have never driven with or ran with the bossy bandit you are truly lacking adventure in your life!  We began before even getting into the car with the curse words!  Probably because we were making fun of her two hats she was wearing.  The entire drive was just as spicy as we then learned that she had chugged a 5 hour energy drink moments before, oh boy.

Kris told us for 20 minutes how much wiser she is than the both of us.  She informed us that she would run today at her own pace and we could not make her do anything else otherwise.  "You run on ahead without me."  Much to my dismay I had forgotten my watch which is total torture for me!  Michele laughed and said she was glad because I would run a bit slower with out it, which in turn meant she could then run slower.

When we parked at the dirt and started to get ready to run, Kris jumped out of the car and took off!  I don't even think I had my hydration belt buckled yet.  She was waving her arms like a mad woman and running away from us laughing like an evil cartoon villain.  We laughed as we finally started our run.  We caught up to her and I thought it would be funny to sprint past her.  As I did I yelled and taunted her.  She just growled, "Shut your face!"  But she said it with love.

As Michele and I ran we slowly pulled away from her, which was fine.  But then passed this creepy old white truck. As we passed it a man sat up and looked at us through the window.  CREEPY CRAWLERS!!   We wisely decided it would be "wise " for us to wait for her so that he wouldn't jump out of the truck and grab her.  It is a good thing we did because she had COMPLETELY zoned out and didn't even see the truck.  So, today we saved the Bossy Bandit's life!  You're Welcome!!!

We went all the way to the summit, Kris talking about how she wished Michele had not told me exactly what a "Jell-O shot" was.  I thought it was just a drink of liquidy Jell-O.  Michele laughed and told me what it REALLY was.  Kris was mad.  She wanted me to discover for myself.  Ten she said she could beat me down the hill.  Gotta love how she looks out for my well-being!

As we got to the summit, everyone became a walker.  The conversation turned to Winnie the Pooh of all things.  Michele was trying to match our running personality as a character.  In the end, Kris turned out being Owl, Eeyore and Rabbit.  Haha.

All in all, a good run and a perfect day!  The "weather guessers" were wrong again!  We had blue skies and sunshine.  The rain did come, when we were in the car and the drive back.  It was our DESTINY to run  today!  The Samurai Weather Gods made sure of it!

The Run of PAIN!

So it happens to all of us, some more often than others.  You are ready to run, excited to run, pumped up for the run and with in the first few strides it hits you....PAIN!

Now I'm not talking about minor throbs or simple aches or even an occasional twinge.  I am talking about full on, I don't think I can run anymore, PAIN!

Michele's bad luck started out before she even left her house.  She thought since I was running late she would do some stretching and....tweeked her knee somehow.  So she was doomed before we got out of the car.  Today was to be a Robie training run.  We started at the bottom of Shaw Mtn Road.  Immediately I felt excruciating pain in my Achilles.  I tired to grit through it but after a mile and a half I knew I could go no further.  I had already stopped twice to try and stretch them out with no luck.  So we stopped.  I reached into my hydration pack and TADA!!  A Biofreeze wipe single!  The relief wasn't immediate, but it did come!

Michele snatched it from me and rubbed it all over her knee before we continued.  Boy we were quite the pair today.  We ran up to the Orchard Gulch Trail Head and turned around and headed back to the car.  The run down was easier, it is always easier.  The trail was in great condition too and it wasn't too windy.  A fierce headwind did pick up though on our last 2 miles down.

We realized that we have become long run snobs.  What exactly is a long run snob?  Here are some of the definitions:

1)  You only run in races that are half-marathon or longer.  Anything else is just not worth the time or money.
2)  You cheat on the back off days in your training when you are only supposed to run 3 or 4 miles.  "I'm not lacing up for a run that short!"
3)  You don't feel warmed up and good until mile 4.  Those first miles are just the warm up and don't really count.
4) When someone asks what you ran that day you feel guilty and apologetic if it is anything under 10 saying "Oh, I only ran 9 today."
5) Thinks "sprinter" is a bad word.
6) A half marathon is a "training" run.
7) You're daily runs are now too long for the dog!

So we laughed at the new place we have come to in our running life, as long run snobs and we decided, we are happy to be there.  Most the aches and pains have subsided and we cruise on down the last mile to the car.  Today we definitely EARNED the sprite!  There were no complaints on that one.  We stretch and hope that we can be pain free on our 18 miler in two days, dreaming of ice and rest for the rest of the day (which neither of us gets to do).

So as I write this I wonder.  Why do we run even when it feels like our legs are on fire or joints may fall off?  Why do we continue when the pain is impossible to ignore?  Why do we run in the snow, wind, rain, when passersby give us strange looks?  It is because we CAN so we DO.  If we didn't we would go insane, and thus explains the INSANITY.  We do insane things...to stay SANE.

And now I realize, that was my last Biofreeze wipe.  I just toggled over to a different window and ordered 24 more.  Better safe than sorry.

The 15 Miler that felt like 20!!

We had already gotten a trail run in this week and on our marathon training schedule, today was supposed to be 15.  "Let's do our 15 in the trails!"  Michele the wise suggested.  Yep, you guessed it, I was in!  I looked at the map and came up with a genius idea!  (Side bar, non of my genius ideas ever come out like I say they will)

I decided we should run from the Fort Boise parking lot, up Shaw Mtn Road, then up Rocky Canyon as far as the conditions allowed.  Then, we could pop onto Orchard Gulch trail where it meets with 5 Mile Gulch Trail.  This would then come out part ways down Rocky Canyon and we could run the road out.  "It may end up closer to 17 or so, but who cares!"  I said with enthusiasm.  I always feel invincible when I plan runs at home in my sweats!

So, we are off!!

Aside from the fact that people tend to give you a dirty look and don't like to get out of the way, the run from the parking lot up Shaw Mtn road was pretty uneventful.  We ran pretty good up Rocky Canyon.  I am feeling prepared and really excited for Robie!

We did not make it to the Summit today.  We did hit some snow and ice, but nothing impassable.  At the point a half mile from the summit when it gets really steep, it was too icy.

This is a view from where we stopped.

Jodi running on the snow and ice.  We wore only trail shoes, yak trax weren't needed.

Here is where we should have turned around and just done the road down and called it good.  But NO! I wanted to try a new trail today!  So we ran back down the road to the Orchard Gulch Trail head #7.

Here is how the trail looked at the head.

And the Insanity Sisters (which is what I think we should be called) declare, "Looks great! Let's do it!"  Running UPHILL  in the SNOW is a different experience.  You step differently, you run differently, you use different muscles.  Thus, you get tired faster, feel the burn sooner and harder, and (haha) walk more!

It kept climbing and climbing.  The snow slowly getting deeper.  It was tough.  I finally declared that I was going to imagine we were in a plane crash and our only hopes of survival was to RUN our way out.  I needed some motivation, all be it imaginary, to run in this snow! 

One mile and four deer later, we stopped.  The trail ahead was still climbing and staying quite snowy.  This loop could possibly be a total of 5 miles!  We agreed it was wiser to go back down.  This trail would be reserved for another day, a dryer day, a non snowy day.  But the view was INCREDIBLE up there!

So down we go and ARGH! It is harder to run down a snowy trail than it is to run UP!  Who would have guessed!  WATCH YOUR STEP!!

We came back out at the trail head, EXHAUSTED!  Our madness is escalating to the point of certifiable insanity!  Now we were going to just run Rocky Canyon Road back to the car, at the Fort Boise parking lot.  Those of you who have run this....we will confess we did walk up the hill to Shaw Mtn Road.  (I think we earned that right!)

This was to be the 15 miler that felt like 20!  I could feel tightness in every part of my legs.  It felt like someone hit my calves with two by fours!  "Worst run ever!" I said.  But then Michele reminded me that when the endorphins kick in later I will be saying "Best run ever!"  She was right of course!

We wore our new bracelets (thank you Michele) that declare our true running spirit.  It is hard to read in the picture but they say "TRAIL MADNESS" and they are never taken off. (ahem Michele)

So 15.5 long miles later we are at the car, stretching and laughing about how stupid we are but at the same time how much fun we had.  I am happy to say that some ice cold dark chocolate milk and a Jimmy Johns sub later, I felt like a million bucks!

One last thing.  I am a pretty competitive person.  I learned today the Michele burns more calories than me when we run.  That doesn't seem right since I run just as hard!  I guess the only solution is to put in ten pounds so I can burn more calories and beat her at that!!!

First Training Run of Robie!

As we were driving to hit the Mountain Cove trail this morning, Michele said "Maybe we better start our Robie Training today."  And if you are following this blog you will know that I was "in", I'm always in.  This was our lucky Friday the 13th Run!!!

The Race to Robie Creek, advertised as the toughest race in the Northwest.
http://robiecreek.com/course/
It will be Michele's 6th time running Robie and my first.  We have been running trails so much that I am really excited for this race.  We drove up to the top of Shaw Mtn Road, right where it starts to go downhill.  Luckily there was a porta potty there because I had drank waayyyyy to much water that morning.

At run start it was about 17 degrees.  Freezing cold!  This run is almost entirely in the shade too!  We saw exactly zero other runners. It was agreed that our INSANITY IS ESCALATING!!

I tied a bandanna over my face because it was so cold!  I dubbed myself the pink bandit!  It helped and when Michele complained that her face was so cold I could laugh and say "Mine's not!"  The trail was great!  A little snow, maybe a quarter of an inch but no ice or slick spots.  We ran it in our trail shoes just fine!

This is a view of the road near the Orchard Gulch Trailhead #7

Reaching the summit was cool.  It wasn't what I had expected it to look like but we did it!  We did walk the last .5 to the top.  Michele said my goal for the race should be to run it.  Don't you love how she is always determining what MY goals should be!  This time I was NOT "in".  I do not think that is a goal I am ready to set!  Here is a view of the summit

The pink bandit.....

Pink Bandit unmasked!

I only ran the first 3 miles with the bandanna on.  I'm not that big of a wimp!

So how HARD was this run to the summit?  Well, not as bad as I have been told by others.  In fact I have run a lot of trails that are MUCH harder!  What made this one tough was that it was one constant uphill.  Even though the incline is more gradual, it is still a constant up.  That does make it tough.  But it wasn't any harder than three bears trail , dry creek half  or the high desert half.  So I am excited for this race!

On the run down our fingers got sooo cold.  I realized that it was because they were not being moved.  I started to open and close them as I ran.  Michele was running with hers still in fists.  Finally she yelled, "This is the worst pain I have ever felt.  What's that disease you get when your fingers fall off?"  I replied, "Frostbite?  That's not a disease Michele."

I then told her to also open and close her hands while she ran.  Finally we both had warm hands again.  On our entire run it never reached over 18 degrees and we only felt the sun once or twice for a very brief moment.

Interesting sights on the way back down Rocky Canyon road; a huge cave that Michele thinks is being used, a few cars but no people, and the most interesting of the day was  a house that looked like it was from the 1800s and had slid half way down the hillside then stopped.  We spent several minutes decided if it started to fall if we would back track away from it or try to out run it.  We decided to back up. Wish I had taken a picture, but I was enjoying the downhill so much I didn't want to stop.

We ended our run at the cattle guard just below Shaw Mtn Road.  A 12.2 mile out and back.  Our time was 2:16:35.  Not too bad for training.

After this first run up to Robie I now need to decide what my goals for this race will be.  Any ideas?