Today my friend and I began our run at Lake Sylvia like usual. Crowds seemed scarce on the trails when we started at 5:15 am in the dark. I had a small headlamp I use for times when we run in the morning and the sun is approaching. I also had a couple small led flashlights we carried for extra light. They are lightweight, they have clips for your hat or other parts of clothing and can be easily stowed when not in use. They are available for cheap at Academy Sports and are great for situations like this.
We started up the hills at a brisk walking pace, the wind was blowing and it seemed very pleasant. I had filled my camelback to the brim with water and about 4 scoops of endurolyte powder. The powder is great for me because I don't like to swallow the capsules or worry about remembering them. For me this is easier. I know I'm getting some electrolytes every time I drink water and it does not taste like anything.
We took a turn to go toward lake Winona toward the low water bridge and up in the distance, I noticed a van parked on the road. The trails we run are really forest service roads so it is not uncommon to see utility trucks, trucks with boats and other people out and about. We got closer and realized it was not a utility truck but a van from Ohio, with all the doors open for ventilation I guess and a guy sleeping in the front seat. I guess we startled him because he jumped up and said "Hey"...when I passed. I said "hello" and kept walking. My friend was a few paces behind me and he said "Hey" to her also and she looked at me and quickened her pace. It was bazaar, what was he doing there? Was he just homeless and looking for a cool place to sleep for the night? He was still there when we passed on the way back. No interaction. I guess he was sleeping in this morning. You see the strangest things.
So we got to an intersection and I wanted to get my bearings on the map so I pulled out my iPhone to pop up the map. I have pretty good service on the forest service roads. It can be spotty, but on the hilltops ( and there are a lot of hilltops) service is pretty good. I pulled up the map and got the info I wanted. There are plenty of signs where we run so we never really fear getting lost, I just wanted to see it. I was very sweaty and I keep my phone in a plastic bag when I run with it on the trails in case of rain, excessive sweat or anything else that may damage it. I did not think my own sweaty fingers would be to the demise of the phone. I was putting it back in the pocket, over my shoulder and it slipped out of my sweaty fingers. My friend tried to dive for it but it was too late and it fell face down on the gravel. She picked it up and I asked...."is it broke? Please don't be broke" It was shattered.....shatterd and the screen was a very neausous shade of gray....with a big orange spot where the contact point was. It was ugly....
So we gathered up the pieces of my iPhone and continued our run toward lake Winona. A friendly black and white dog came out to greet us as we approached Central Arkansas Water grounds at the lake, went into the driveway of the facility where I said hello to some co-workers. Central Arkansas Water has staff at lake Winona full time to monitor the lake and the grounds there. After a bathroom break we headed back toward Sylvia.
We crossed back over the low water bridge and back to the intersection that was two miles from our cars and decided we were not going to have enough miles. I was worried about running out of water, but being as we were less than 5 miles from our cars I figured it was ok to continue on straight to get extra miles to make the 20 we needed. As we passed the intersection, we started climbing a steep hill. I had not been on this road before and it was nearing 9:30 in the morning and the heat was starting to climb. As I climbed and climbed this hill I started to doubt the merits of this idea and turned back to my friend and said :"Ya know, I don't see any benefit in climbing this hill in the sun right now." She quickly agreed and we promptly turned around and headed back down the hill. We had added on about two miles with the out and back so fortunately only had about two miles left when we reached our cars. Also fortunate because i ran out of water in my camelback at mile 17.5.
We got back to our car and realized we needed 1.75 miles to make 20 so after getting a fresh water bottle we took a short spur up to the Ouachita trail. I'm so glad we did this because just a few weeks earlier I saw Karen Hayes pop out of this spur seeming out of nowhere smiling and trotting along with ultimate ultra runner confidence as if she had blaze the trail herself. She ran to her car, refilled her bottle then disappeared onto another trail just as quickly as she appeared. The woman has skills! Now I'm learning them. I want to be confident on the trails like Karen Hayes! I can only get there by doing and doing is what I'm doing....or something like that...
After taking the spur, connecting to the Ouachita trail and making a loop back to the cars we ran through the camp ground to top off the mileage and ended with a perfect 20! I was soooo happy, I got through it without my knee hurting and I felt great. It was hot as hell but I still felt great!
Of course I had to go purchase a new phone, something I was not looking forward to, but the run was great. My blueberry newtons from Fresh Market served me well. I did not intend to purchase gourmet blueberry newtons for this trip but I was in the situation of finding myself at the expensive gourmet store purchasing sushi and ice cream when I realized I did not want to stop at Walgreen's for regular fig newtons. I got the blueberry ones and they were alright. I may get them from now on just for grins. I was also in a hurry to get home to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics so I was not going to make another stop. Things to do...things to do...
No comments:
Post a Comment