Long run. Average pace: 10:01.
Outside temp: 45°F at the start, probably in the 50s or maybe up to 60 by the end
This was an awesome run. I should do this route again if we have another nice Saturday.
I ran the trail that my friend showed me a couple of weeks ago. Only with her I ran just a small portion of the trail and today I ran the whole thing. It ended up being a little longer than I had anticipated because I had to make a couple of detours. First, just before I started on the trail (I had to run a ways to get to the trail) I went out of my way a little bit to go to a gas station and use the rest room. Later, the trail crossed a busy street and I went out of my way to cross at a light (there were signs telling trail users to do that). I also had to do that on the way back since I did an out-and-back on the trail, but with a loop at the end of the trail.
My friend told me the other day that the trail continued from where we were on it and went up a hill. That was an understatement. Here in Colorado you would call it a hill, but in some parts of the country it might be called a mountain. The elevation at the highest point I went to (according to my Garmin) was 6300 ft. The lowest elevation anywhere on my run was 5779 ft. There were switchbacks going up the hill. From the highest point on the run I could see pretty much all of the Denver metro area. It was cool.
Before I got to the hill I saw tons of prairie dogs. They looked pretty fat. I guess they're getting ready for winter. As I started up the hill I saw a sign that said, "Caution: Rattlesnake Area." That made me a little nervous. A little later on I saw another sign that said the same thing. At one point I thought I heard a rattle that didn't belong in "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King. I didn't look to see where it was coming from. I just kept going and got out of that area.
I saw a lot of people on the hill. Most of them were walking, but a few were running. I figured if I got bit by a rattlesnake at least someone would find me and call for help.
I was thinking of doing 14 miles next Saturday, but if the weather's nice, I might do that same route again. I could lengthen it out by doing the loop twice, but the loop is pretty much going up and down the hill, so that would be really hard. | 