Running Up Mountains: Lessons Learned

As my watched beeped for mile seven of my eight-mile run today, I smiled and thought about how that was mile 50 for the week. Elite runners boast of averaging 50 miles a week for an entire year, but for me, 51.5 miles for the week without injury is an accomplishment! Later my husband reminded me that I have to run that all in one day on my first day of the PCT Section J fastpack I have planned for late August. Uh huh. It's going to be a long day with lots of hiking up steep sections.

Speaking of HIKING up steep sections, yesterday, I ran the Issaquah Alps westbound, adding a two-mile section of the Coal Creek Trail to get to 24 miles. I finished the toughest part of the run, Tiger Mountain, feeling pretty good and began the climb up Squak on the East Ridge Trail, a never-ending Z of switchbacks. Normally, I hike more than half of this, but yesterday, I realized I was running it and feeling good. I thought, wow, am I actually going to run this thing? I thought I was nearly at the top, so I kept running. But as many a hiker knows, one switchback can look like the next, and the next, and the next. I should have walked at that point, but I just kept going, wanting to run the whole thing. Mistake.

On my way down Squak on Margaret's Way, I was really, really tired. I repeated the mantra, "Mind in boat" (if you've read Boys in the Boat you know what I am talking about), and stayed as focused as possible so I wouldn't stumble. My hamstring can't take another lunge forward. As I approached a tangled mass of roots, I tripped first with my left foot and then my right. I just couldn't pick my feet up enough to clear the roots--I was that tired. I didn't hurt my hamstring, though, because I pitched forward Superman-style and landed in a plank position. Even my core was tired, I noted, as I pushed awkwardly up from a pushup position. And I still had Cougar Mountain to go.

Amazingly, Cougar afforded me some nice hiking breaks and I was able to run down the west side, however slowly. Then came the section that was new to me on Coal Creek. Thank goodness it was groomed and wide, with mostly a gentle downward slope. I simply had nothing left. My run turned out to be 25.5 miles, clocking in at seven hours, 45 minutes. The previous long run of 23.5 took me 7:36, so I was pleased with my time but not with how I felt. I have never wanted to be done so badly, even in 50Ks. I should have hiked more of the East Ridge Trail.

I subscribe to the motto, "Just because you can doesn't mean you should" in many aspects of my life. Looks like I need to apply it to trail running.

I was lucky that the sun was blocked by high clouds until about 1:00 pm. It kept me cool for most of my run.

Issaquah Alps Westbound Trail Run

I was finally successful with my Garmin Fenix 5X! I used it to navigate some unfamiliar trails southwest of Tiger Mountain's peak and also make my way on Squak and Cougar in the opposite direction I am used to. I noticed that it also gives me an ETA, and it was pretty accurate. In the beginning, it said 1:45, and then later 2:30 and 2:10 as my steep climbs, flat, and downhill running evened out; I ended up finishing at 2:00. Obviously, the longer I was out, the more accurate it got. Overall, I find the watch easy to use...now that I know how to use it. Getting there was challenging, though!

Speaking of challenges, my run was probably the hardest effort I have ever put forth. It was 22.3 miles with 6,900+ feet of elevation gain. Starting with Tiger and finishing with Cougar meant slightly more elevation gain than loss. I loved the Tiger Mountain part of the run. I went on a trail I had never been on before after the peak of West Tiger 3, and it was quiet, rolling, and soft. I did see nine other trail runners along this portion of the route, so it must be popular with trail runners. They were all running in the opposite direction, which made me wonder briefly about their routes. The trail dropped me down to Poo Poo Point for a quad-punishing descent to Hobart Road.

I fasten my vest and get ready to start at the base of Tiger Mountain. My husband likes to take a picture of me at the start just in case something happens to me. This way, he knows what I am wearing in case he has to described it to authorities.

I am happy with my accomplishment of descending to Poo Poo Point. It was a beautiful day for a trail run!

Climbing Squak from the east side is definitely steeper than climbing from the west. The East Ridge Trail was full off sharply slanted switchbacks I thought would never end. Fortunately, my watch tells me how far I am from my next turn, so I knew it would eventually come to an end, and in just how far. I had to power hike (fast hiking pushing on my knees to go faster) more than half of it. Once I got to the East Side Trail, it was completely runnable--rolling ups and downs and quite pleasant. I knew I had some solid descent and climbing ahead of me before I got to make my main descent down to SR 900. I dropped down quite a bit on the Bullit Fireplace Trail only to climb back up on the Chybinski Loop. I was relieved to finally get to Margaret's Way, which is fairly gentle until the last pitch downward.

One more mountain to go, and the shortest stretch. I knew the climb from the east was steep, but I was surprised at how much I was still able to run. Lots of power hiking up steep switchbacks and step-ups were a sign that my legs were simply dead; my quads hurt, but I just kept pushing onward. My mantra for the day was Jillian Michael's "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!" and I thought that many times on Cougar. I knew once I got to Shy Bear I was home free. The descent on the Quarry Trail was at times painful, but I plodded on and took it easy so I didn't trip. I was so happy to see my car!

Afterward, I forced myself to eat half a banana and a Clif Bar, and to drink my recovery drink from Pacific Health Labs. It's weird, but food just isn't appetizing after that much running. The last time I had eaten was at 4:00 am. My run, which I started a little late at 7:50, took six hours, 10 minutes. I used gels and an Endurox slurry, along with a Clif carb/electrolyte powder added to my water along the way. I finally ate solid food at 2:00.

I didn't take an ice bath when I got home this time. I am always cold when I finish a run like this, despite the 70 degree afternoon, and I just couldn't bare the thought of getting into cold water. I took a hot shower instead and it relaxed my tired muscles. I ended the evening with a soak in the hottub.

I slept HARD. Sunday morning, I had a six mile run to do, and I thought it would be awful, but I surprised myself. I had a great run. My legs were tired and burned with lactic acid, but they weren't that heavy. After a slow first mile, I managed a 9:43 mile with hills on the Tolt Pipeline. I finished with a trip down and back up 'the big hill' with a mile time of 12:01. That's better than I usually do. Huh.

Today, it was tough to get up before 6:00 for work, and I sleepily struggled through my core routine. Somehow, I managed to do the usual exercises as well as weighted squats and dumbbell deadlifts. I shook out my legs with a nice mountain bike ride in the afternoon with my good friend Nicole. My legs burned a bit on the climb up the High School Trail, but afterward, I felt great. My soreness is ebbing (DOMS). A few minutes with the foam roller tonight should take care of any residual soreness.

Next weekend will be another 20 mile long run. It will be the first time I have ever trained with back to back hard weeks instead of alternating easy and hard weeks. I am hoping to create a route all on Tiger Mountain. We shall see!

Training in the Issaquah Alps: Cougar, Squak, and Tiger Mountains

What a great way to make the most of the foothills of the Cascade Mountains! My husband was worried I would get burned out from running Grand Ridge too much, so he proposed that I run up and over all three of the mountains of Issaquah.

I had a feeling the run would be epic, as so many of my ideas of what to challenge myself with next have actually come from him (running ultras, the Kendall Katwalk, Cascade Pass to Stehekin, and Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass, to name a few). It taught me that I need to challenge myself far more than I have been when it comes to elevation gain.

My route began at the Red Hill trailhead off Lakemont Blvd. in Bellevue. From there, I took the Wildside Trail, the Indian Trail, the Quarry Trail, Shy Bear Trail, and Whitaker Wilderness Trail, all up and over to the bottom of the east side of Cougar Mountain. This portion of the run was fairly technical, about a 4. There were some rocks and some really rooty areas, as well as some steep step downs. Since it was so wet, these step downs on rocks, roots, or logs were slippery, as were the foot bridges and log crossings. It was BY FAR the easiest climb of the three mountains.

John drops me off on Lakemont Boulevard for the start of my long run in the Issaquah Alps.

Then, I took a right onto SR 900 and in under one tenth of a mile, I was at the trailhead for Squak Mountain. I took Margaret's Way up to Chybynski Loop, where I took a left and dropped down. After that, it gets a little confusing. I think I took the Eastside Trail and eventually got onto the East Ridge Trail down to the Sycamore trailhead. Squak Mountain was also technical at times, around a 4. It was pretty steep, though 100% runnable. Just when I thought Margaret's Way had leveled off, I climbed switchbacks for another mile! I give it a 6 for elevation gain.

The photo doesn't do the view justice, but it's from Margaret's Way looking toward Renton. The sun was spotlighting the town in the distance.

I saved the toughest mountain for last: Tiger. From the Sycamore neighborhood, I ran down the pavement to Hobart Road, and in just over a mile, I was at the Chirico trailhead for Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mountain. It has been a long time since I have been on this trail, and I don't know it very well. I was hoping for a gradual climb, but that's not what I got. It pretty much goes straight up! Ok, there are switchbacks, but they are steep. It's also really rocky and has a long section of rock steps. By this time, my quads were pretty tired and I was stumbling on the sharp rocks. I power hiked at least half of this climb. I think I could run it (and I will) with fresh legs. Anyway, It seemed like it was only about two miles up to Poo Poo. 

The view from Poo Poo Point. Lots of people, most of whom came up the Chirico Trail.

I took the High School Trail route back down, veering off at the bottom toward the Lake Tradition parking lot. Next time, I will go up to the top of Tiger from a junction on the Poo Poo Trail (the High School Trail route) and then take a different way down. I went pretty slowly down Poo Poo, as the trail was almost as steep going down as it was going up even though it was a little longer. My quads were shaking--I was that tired. Due to rocks and steepness, I give it a 7 for technicality and a 7 for elevation gain. I can see I have several runs in store for me on Squak and Tiger before the snow melts from the PCT.

Overall distance was 20 miles, elevation gain was 5,423 ft, elevation loss was 5,534 ft, and my highest elevation was 1,895 ft. It took me 5:36--very slow. Average mile time was 16:48. I had ten minutes of stoppage time. Once nice thing was that I had cell phone coverage the whole way, so I could text my husband for directions and my friend for inspiration.

After my run, I treated myself to a 10-minute ice bath. It helped quite a bit! To distract myself, I munched on a nice vegan deli sandwich. Tomorrow's six-mile recovery run will be interesting. The Snoqualmie Valley Trail (a flat rail trail) may be in order. We'll see how I feel.

It's a good thing my fastpack adventure is over four months away. I've a long way to go before I am ready!

The elevation profile over distance. You can pretty much see Cougar, Squak, and Tiger!

Elevation profile zoomed in view

The GPS track of my route. It doesn't play. It's just a screenshot from Garmin Express.