A bad day on the trails is better than a good day on the road!

Well a week off of running for the both of us.  Michele and I were both out of town with no running.  So here we are back in town, exhausted ready to run trails! I dragged my speedy son Hunter along with us again.  He is half-way converted to the trails though sometimes he still thinks we are crazy!

We decided to run in Dry Creek area and get those trails marked off of our list.  This is up in Hidden Springs.  There are a couple problems with running up here.  First off, the trails aren't marked as well as other R2R trails.  Some have no trail heads at all!  And secondly, they are not maintained.  It is difficult to run single track trails.  It is even harder when those trails of nearly covered by long weeds and long hanging tree branches.

We promised Hunter it would be 6 miler.  He agreed to come.  At 3.75 Michele told him it was only 2.5 miles to go. Then at 6 she said we had about a mile and a half left!  "WHAT?" He yelled.  "About 2 miles ago you said we had 2.5 left!  What are you doing?"

We climbed this INTENSE hill!  Hunter was killing it!  Michele and I yelled out and reminded him there was no shame in walking.  "Yes there is!" He yelled.  Needless to say he had a good 10 minute wait for us at the top of the hill.

Whenever we run, Michele's watch always says she has ran further than me, it is annoying.  Today, mine and Hunter's watches were nearly the same and Michele's was almost a tenth or more further.  She finally explained why, "You see, my watch shows I've gone farther because it knows I am working harder than you guys."  Yah, right!

I had a hard time today for another reason.  Yesterday I had a cavity filled. No big deal right?  Oh but for some reason this time was a big deal.  My cheek is still swollen and terribly sore!  Whenever we ran down a hill my cheeks would shake and it hurt like CRAZY!  Note to all runners, do not have a cavity filled the day before a long trail run!

We did some back tracking, out and backs and such to get in the mileage today.  It was so confusing I cannot remember exactly which trails we did and in which order (though I am sure wise Michele does).  We did park on Dry Creek Road at the trail #71 parking lot.  That much I remember. Then we did Current Creek # 75 and Lookout Loop #72.  Somewhere in there we ran a neat trail that wasn't marked too. It was good running, warm out, and still green.  As far as the trail goes, this one does not make it in to my top 10. But always remember...A bad day on the trails, is better than a good day on the road!

Also, the camera on my phone broke, so we have no pictures today!  I will get Michele to take some next time!

HE WON!!!

I cannot believe it but my son Hunter won the FKT prize for May!  He gets this massive canvas print from Idaho Camera.  Here is his winning photo....



I was talking about which family picture we could use for the canvas print when he announced..."Um, I won the prize so I get to pick the picture!"  So, this weekend when we ran Sawtooth Relay he asked me to take a lot of cool pictures so he would have something to choose from.  Here is the one he has chosen.

June FKT Trail Run....POLECAT!

Thanks again to the Pulse Running and Fitness shop in Meridian for another great trail idea!  This month it is Polecat.  Michele and I had the Bossy Bandit with us again.  We also convinced my son SPEEDY to join us again, but sadly his friend couldn't take running with us again...haha go figure!

Polecat is actually much closer to where I live than most other trails. Directions to the trail head: from State St., north on Pierce Park, continuing on Pierce Park through the Hill Rd intersection and past the T intersection with Cartwright, the trail head parking is on the right hand side of the road.  It is a 6 mile loop that you can run either way.  We chose to run it left (clockwise).

Before we headed out I noticed GASP! I forgot to charge my Garmin!  I only had 1 percent charge left.  No good!  I had no idea if it would last 6 miles!  Michele put her cell phone in her hydration pack and put in on Map My Run.  If I didn't have a recording of my run, I'd have no digital entry for the Pulse's Awesome Prize of new trail shoes!  

Hunter took off and was gone from our sight INSTANTLY! As we lumbered our way up a hill, two ladies came bounding down.  They informed us that we were going the direction that was harder and should turn around.  GREAT!  We hollered to Hunter (whom we couldn't even see) to get him to turn around.  No response, too late, we were committed.  We had to follow Hunter since he almost took a 20 mile detour last time he ran the trails with us.

Kris lovingly suggested that we turn around, head the other way, and then pass him eventually to really mess with his head.  Michele and I ignored her.

The trail started out with a lot of climbing, but not too bad.  I was worried about how far in front of us Hunter was getting.  I may be a runner, but I am still a MOM!  There were spurs and such that he could mistakenly take and who knows where he'd end up!  Also, I was super concerned about my watch dying!  I do not like it when I don't get a record of my runs!  So, I decided do forgo my usually enjoyable leisurely trail run with my sister and bossy and kick up the pace.

At about 2.5 miles in I came to a fork in the trail.  I knew I needed to go right.  Who do I see running towards me FROM THE LEFT?  Hunter!  He DID go the wrong way!  Good thing I sped ahead.  I was able to see him for those few moments and then ZOOM! gone again.

Meanwhile, Michele and Kris are coming down to the same fork that Hunter and I were just at.  Michele hears strange voices.  She panics and starts looking around.  Then she realizes...her iPhone is talking h=to her, telling her the mileage she is at.  Hilarious! Genius!

Normally Michele will run in front of Kris.  But today, Michele let Kris lead.  She decided that she liked this alot because, "If there is a snake or a badger on the trail, I have time to turn around and go the other way!"  Haha poor Kris.

The trail was fun, I really enjoyed it.  Hunter liked Watchman better.  Michele liked them both and I didn't ask Kris :)

On the drive home I was asking what funny things I could add to the blog about the run.  Hunter said the funniest thing was having to wait so long for Michele and Kris to finish (he waited about 10 minutes).  Kris replied, "Well, you went the wrong way so you are dumb."  What a great trail running group I have!  Feel the love!  Now you know why Hunter's friend didn't want to run with us again.

BEST TRAIL EVER!!!

Robie is over. Marathon is over.No  Now time for some enjoyable days on the trails!  The Pulse Running and Fitness Shop has the coolest monthly contest this summer.  It's called the FKT (Fastest known time or FUNNEST known time).  Today we ran the May FKT course for a Funnest time.  My son and one of his friends came with us.  If they knew where to go they would have definitely had the fastest time.  But instead they joined in our fun!

The loop is GREAT!  Drive up Rocky Canyon Road and park at the 5-mile Trail Head.

This trail was inclined but so beautiful!  We crossed like 4 or five creeks and everything was so green!  I almost fell off the trail because I was admiring the scenery so much!  After a little over the first mile the trail forks..ignore this!!  Stay to the left and go onto Watchman (trail #3).  I forgot to take a picture of the marker.  Now you get to climb some switchbacks!  The vistas are breathtaking up here!  There are also sunflowers blooming like crazy!

HANDSTAND!!

WHEELBARROW

PLANKING

THESE BOYS WERE ALWAYS AHEAD OF US!!

FUN RUN TODAY!!!

As you drop down from Watchman, the trail briefly connects with Femrite's (#6).. This used to be called Curlew Connector.  It's a multi-use trail.  We had a guy on a motorcycle stop and wait for use.  Weird to see that on a trail.  Here is where Speedy Hunter was sitting on a fence waiting for us.  He was a ll casual and looking rested.  Ah what it must be like to be 16 and faster than the wind with no body fat!

It the fence where Hunter was sitting you fork left again.  This gets you on to Three Bears (#26).  Now this portion of Three Bears was quite pleasant, probably because we were going the opposite way aka DOWNHILL!

As we headed down Three Bears I could see Hunter and Josh quite a bit in front of us.  They stopped at the trail sign, read it, then went straight.  I had told them to turn left.  I started yelling for them to STOP! TURN AROUND! WRONG WAY! etc.  I turned along the ridge and lost sight of them briefly.  Suddenly there were two women coming up the trail giving me a very strange look.  "Sorry, my son is going the wrong way."  I said with a smile.  The woman laughed and said, "Well he went that way and he is FAST!"  When I curved back around and could see them again they weren't turning back.  I started yelling Hunter's name louder. But then the trail dipped down and I couldn't see them again.  I got to the trail fork and looked up at Michele who was a bit behind me.  "Are they turning around?"  I yelled.  Michele's reply?  "Yes, that's where we turn."   So, I yelled again, " Are the turning around and coming back?"  She laughed, "Oh...yep."

Hunter and his buddy Josh did an extra quarter mile or so.  Michele and I got a nice water break while waiting for them.  If they hadn't heard me and turned back....what a mess that would have been!  But luckily they did!

From here we head LEFT to the Rocky Canyon Road again.  It is very steep here with loose rocks.  When Hunter said he felt like he was running like Forrest Gump as he descended.  Michele announced she needed new trail shoes.  I skipped funny down it. Josh said nothing.  We hope he wants to run with us again!

The run turned out to be a nice easy 6 miles.  This is DEFINITELY a trail we would do again.  The Bossy Bandit was upset when she heard how wonderful it was...well...she should have gotten out of bed this morning then.

Jodi joins the CLUB!

Well, I have now officially joined the club!  

Which club?  The 26.2 CLUB!!

I ran my first marathon on May 19, 2012 in Boise, Idaho; the Famous Idaho Potato Marathon.  Originally Michele was going to run it with me, but wimpiness and then illness caused her to register for the half instead.  Michele and Kris were with me at the start to cheer me on.  Their race started a half hour after mine.



 I probably ran the first half faster than I should have.  I hit 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 2 minutes.  But it's hard to slow yourself down in a race, especially me!  At mile 21 I was really feeling the urge to stop.  I had to really push myself mentally.  My goal was to finish under 4 hours and 20 minutes.

As I turned the last corner I could finally see the finish line...the clock read 4 hours and 19 minutes and 10 seconds.  Could I make it?  I dug and gave it all I had to sprint in.  I made it!!  4 HOURS 19 MINUTES and 41 SECONDS!!!

It was great to have Michele and Kris there cheering me on at the end!  They helped me over to a nice shady spot where I immediately lay down.  Kris had a pillow for my head and they got me oranges and my race shirt.  I had my own pit crew to spoil me!  They are the BEST!!

I am happy to be in this club of 26.2!  I felt really good the next day.  This was better than Robie ANYDAY!!  Can't wait to do this again!

Time to vote, are we crazy?

All right!  Who is reading this Blog?  We would like your opinion on a matter that has been going back and forth between the two of us for weeks!  As you know we have the Great Potato Marathon (half for wimpy Michele) coming up in two weeks.  Then we have the Mesa Falls Marathon in August.  Here is the dilemma:

There is a trail race in October called the Foothills 50K Frenzy. (http://foothills50kfrenzy.com/)  For those of you who are not used to measuring distances in "K's" that is 31 miles.  Now we absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE running trails and it is MUCH more forgiving on your body.  So, we are debating should we go for it?
Help us out, give us your opinion!! Comment on our blog page so we can hear what you think!

Aaah Trails....It's good to be back!

Now that Robie is OVER! we can stop training on that cursed road!  It was so great to get off the roads and hit the trails again.  It has been WAY too long!

Since there was so much rain yesterday we were forced to do the Gulch and Camel's Back.  We knew it was least likely to be muddy and of course, we were right.  (Actually it was Michele who said this but I will claim the wisdom as well)  It was such a fantastic run!  Our route was one we have done before...

Red Fox to Chickadee (I cannot stand the gravel portion of Red Fox) then on to Lower Hulls Gulch.  The creek was so full and everything was super green it was so beautiful to run through today!

When we got to the bridge that you cross to get onto Crestline, Michele dipped her jacket sleeves into the water to mop off her face.  She had been complaining about sweating so much.  (we were a tad over dressed)  "It's running down my back!" was one familiar holler that I heard from behind me.  We were quite warm but it was not even close to dragging yourself uphill through a furnace like a race we all know about!

 We hit Crestline and had a wonderful downhill descent onto Kestrel, then Owl's Roost and finally the Grove.  There is just something about Trail Running that makes everything great in the world!  Ah!

However, there were quite a few ornery people on the trails today.  Usually runners are so friendly.  They pass with a wave, a "Good Morning" or at least a smile.  For what ever reason we got snubbed by several runners when we waved or said Good Morning.  Perhaps Michele was pulling mean faces behind me as I greeted Passer-bys, maybe I really stunk from sweating so much today, or I guess there were just grumpy people running today.  Whatever the reason, those downers did not taint our run!  We loved every single minute of it!

On the drive home I even got to rip off my shoe to show Michele my new running trophy.  The purple rotten toenail that will be coming off any day now.  Oh yes, we are officially Trail runners when that happens.