Yesterday was the last long run for the group training for the TRT 50K/50M/100M races coming up at the end of the month. I tagged along because... well, I really don't know why. Oh, yes! I remember now! I tagged along because they were running a stretch of the Tahoe Rim Trail that I hadn't been on in its entirety yet. As of about 3 pm yesterday, I can scratch the Big Meadow - Heavenly stretch off my list. That leaves only the section between Echo Summit and Dick's Lake that I have yet to be on. I plan to hit that later this summer. After that - who knows? I may stop long runs. They HURT!
This run started out in the cool shade of the Big Meadow Trailhead. We had gotten a couple of accomodating spouses/moms to schlep the surprisingly large group of runners from the finish to where we started. That way, nobody had to do the drive after the run, when all anyone wanted to do is eat, drink and rest. At least, that's all I wanted to do. Kind of interesting the number of us wearing blue shirts with black shorts. We looked like a bunch of running bruises.
This run started out in the cool shade of the Big Meadow Trailhead. We had gotten a couple of accomodating spouses/moms to schlep the surprisingly large group of runners from the finish to where we started. That way, nobody had to do the drive after the run, when all anyone wanted to do is eat, drink and rest. At least, that's all I wanted to do. Kind of interesting the number of us wearing blue shirts with black shorts. We looked like a bunch of running bruises.
 Need to crop out the two on the right. How'd they get in there, anyway?!   |   |
The basic path is an uphill with a drop to Armstrong Pass, then climb again to the trailhead to Freel Peak. From there, we drop to Star Lake, and a bit more past that, then climb again to Monument Pass, and finally drop the last 5 miles pretty consistently to the parking area at Heavenly's Stagecoach lift parking area.
For a reason best explained by early head trauma resulting in apparent brain damage, most of us decided it would be "a good idea" to climb Freel Peak. You know, "Hey, since we're right here, and all, let's do it! Besides, it's only a mile up and a mile back from here, and what's one mile when we are already doing 23.5?" (The answer is obviously an additional 8.5%. ) Heck, I hadn't done it before, and I'm doing this overall madness for the new trails and adventure anyway, so I went along with it.
 The target in the distance...  Lindy navigating the prescarious descent |  Intreprid up-comers!  Looking east, over Job's Sister (left) and Job's Peak (right) |
OUCH! That climb was difficult. Just a mile, but about 1000' in elevation gain in that measly 1 mile. Took me over 30 minutes to get up, and, once there, another 30 to snap a few photos and scramble back down. The route down was "prescarious" a portmanteau of precarious and scary. And it was in places. My baby cows were very unhappy with me for making them do all that work on the way up to begin with, and the quads complained as well on the way down.
Once down from the Freel adventure, it was off to Star Lake. The lake looked as inviting as always, and Dave was unable to resist the siren song. He dropped his pack, shoes and socks and dove in, potential chafing be damned! Of course, he's crazy-fast and was dry by the time he hit Monument Pass, and passed me like I was standing still (OK, I was.) That was the point where the following manglement of Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" coursed through my mind.
Once down from the Freel adventure, it was off to Star Lake. The lake looked as inviting as always, and Dave was unable to resist the siren song. He dropped his pack, shoes and socks and dove in, potential chafing be damned! Of course, he's crazy-fast and was dry by the time he hit Monument Pass, and passed me like I was standing still (OK, I was.) That was the point where the following manglement of Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" coursed through my mind.
I lost my steam
At mile eighteen.
At mile eighteen,
I lost my steam.
At mile eighteen.
At mile eighteen,
I lost my steam.
Yep: Hello Wall. I really need to figure out my nutrition process/balance/stuff if I want to continue to participate in these long adventures. I simply cannot stomach another Perpetuem tablet. I forced one down and nearly gagged. I had a couple of avocado burritos and a stabby bar though. I ate one burro, shared the second, and lost the Stabby bar somewhere along the way. That gave me a net of about 450 calories over nearly 7 hours of continuous exercise. I'm guessing that wasn't enough. I ended up walking a good portion of the downhill 5 miles to the end.
  |   All done. Time to check in on the phones! |
The end was inviting. I have figured out that the best incentive to finish is an ice-cold lager (this time it was Pacifico), and salty potato chips. Absolute yummers!
Thanks, gang for letting a non-TRT participant tag along on your training run. It was "fun." It was hard. It was rewarding. And the people I ran with are the best. Good luck to all in your race!
Thanks, gang for letting a non-TRT participant tag along on your training run. It was "fun." It was hard. It was rewarding. And the people I ran with are the best. Good luck to all in your race!
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