Hitting the Trails

February is going to be the month of getting my body acclimated to trails. I didn't realize it until this morning that I haven't been running on trails for two years. I've been working in one trail run a week over the month of January mostly in Redmond Ridge and Watershed or Moss Lake. Both of these locations are non technical with moderate hills. On a scale of 1-10, I rate them a 0 for technicality, a 0 for elevation, and a 2 for elevation gain.

Wednesday, I decided to try something a little more challenging and ran seven miles up the High School Trail and on the Lake Tradition plateau (at the base of Tiger Mountain). It was a rude awakening! I got bounced all over the trail and my feet and ankles were really tired. I rate this a 5 for technicality, a 0 for elevation, and a 3 for elevation gain.

I've reached the top of the High School Trail, a one-mile, rocky jaunt the climbs to the Lake Tradition Plateau from behind Issaquah High School.

In my training I alternate between easy and hard weeks. Last Saturday was a hard week and I ran 16 miles in Redmond Ridge and Watershed. It was easy and I had a great six-mile run on Sunday through the neighborhood, averaging under 10-minute miles, which was good for me on a route with hills.

The Redmond Watershed delights with a beautiful forest and spongy trails!

Bolstered by last weekend, I decided to do my "easier weekend" long run in Grand Ridge; it was an even ruder awakening! I set a goal of running 12 miles in two and a half hours. I took the Grand Ridge Trail up and continued over the road to what I call the New Trail on the Duthie side. I had to go a little farther down after that to get to six miles for a turn around point. The climb wasn't too bad and I took it slow. What was shocking was any small hill after that felt so hard. It felt like I was running at elevation. At six miles I decided to use a Clif gel. What a difference. The climb back up felt fine. Going back down the Grand Ridge Trail I felt a little lighter but my pelvic floor was weary and my feet were tired. I clocked in at 2:24:42. For technicality, I give this a 5, for elevation a 0, and elevation gain a 5.

I'm to the last part of the Grand Ridge Trail's climb--yeah!

It's going to take a while before 12 miles in Grand Ridge feels easy liked it did a couple of years ago. Hopefully, that time will come on March, when I officially start my training with 20-mile Saturdays and building from there.

-LTR