Daily Run Log

Distance: 16.9m
Time: 2:58m
Temp:65'
Location: Mormon, National, Corana Trails(SMP) and Mesa neighborhood
Surface: Trail, Road
Month/miles: 52.1m
Year/miles: 52.1m
Month/time: 8:45.00
Year/time: 8:45.00

This time of year in Arizona to me feels like 'we' as Arizonans should be greatly indebted to those living in the remaining snowed-out states in the union. So, of course I took advantage of not only the weather but also the fact that I have felt particularly healthy and drawn to South Mountain over the last 7-10 days with great energy. I think I am finally starting to notice a jump in my efficiency on my mountain runs up the trails at the park and this has translated well with my mind, and has given me a added vigor to hit the harder, steeper inclines at the mountain. I think that time is of no importance to me on these runs now just pace and incline, that is all for the time being. I have noticed in particular that I seem to be recovering from the big climbs within my runs a little quicker now which is in turn giving me the motivation to run out a little longer on these daily runs than I am used to. My run this morning was met with a little adversity when I realized that the REI company had a sponsored hike throughout the trails this morning drawing in well over a few hundred hikers from what I could see. Huge portions of these trails are narrow singletrack with granite framing the sidewalls so this leaves me with little wiggle room to get around the multiple groups I encountered. I dealt with it though and got through with enough energy when I hit Buena Vista Lookout that I proceeded for the first time past the lookout and tried to find the spot where National Trail re-connects and continues on to the west end of the park. After avoiding multiple hikers along the paved road for another few hundred meters in search of the mystic National Trail Head, I took a wrong turn down Corona Canyon Trail. When I realized I had taken a wrong turn I made the decision to see where the un-trekked path may lead. It lead down, straight down! With tons of energy still filling my legs and lungs I let the canyon swallow me and spit me out in a deserted wash at the bottom of the decent. It was calm, quiet, almost like no one had ever stepped in the space. I knew that I still had a huge hike to climb out of the canyon ahead of me so after a few minutes of taking in the scenery(untouched) and wishing an lone trailrunner a good morning I turned west and climbed my way out of the rocky earth. One hour and ten minutes later I was back in the lot loving life.....a little more.