#trailrunning

Our silly post run selfie #trailrunning

Last year when we were in New Zealand for the Tarawera Ultra Marathon, Susan and I kept tagging various instagram post with #trailrunning. Our other friends who were with us made fun of us by posting random pictures with #trailrunning. So it became an inside joke the rest of the trip, and really didn't stop after trip. 

A few months later our friend, Amber who was on the trip with us started dating an ultra marathoner / trail runner. When she told me about him I kept referring to him as #trailrunning. At some point I did meet David and did call him by his real name, but I do have him labeled in my phone contacts as #trailrunning. 

We have asked him to run with us a few times, but we run a lot earlier than he does, so he has declined. But Susan can be persistent and asked David again on Friday and he agreed to meet us at 7:30 for a run. He only wanted to go around 20 miles and we were shooting for 23-24. We met at 53rd and Wildwood, where he finished and we continued on to 53rd and Birch. 

The intersection of our first hill

My main goal for all of our long runs leading up to Miwok is to incorporate as many hills as possible. This week's route I had us run up and down between NW 53rd and Leif a few times, then between Wildwood and Leif, and for the grand finale we ran down Firelane 4 to the bottom of Saltzman and then up Saltzman to the top. David had a heart rate monitor and would walk most of the hill to keep heart rate within his range, where I take the approach of trying to keep a steady pace uphill until it gets too steep that I am "running" the same pace I would be walking. David would bomb the downhills, there was no way either of us could keep up with him then. 

It was fun discussing the different approaches to training. David has changed his approach a few times due to injury. Susan and I have been luck (knock on wood) that we haven't had any major running related injuries, so we just keep doing what we have been doing, because it seems to work. I am intrigued by the heart rate monitor training, but I am too cheap to buy another gadget (for now).

David and Susan running downhill

Susan running to the top of Saltzman

Route:
Start at 53rd and Wildwood 

Keil - Wild Cherry: .17

Wild Cherry - Leif: .87

Leif - Dogwood: .59

Dogwood - Keil: 1

Keil - WW: .17

WW - Alder: .22

Alder - Leif: .84

Leif - FL1: 1.54

FL1 - Nature: .46

Nature - WW: .65

WW - Koenig: 2.5

Koenig - Maple: .27

Maple - FL4: .59

FL4 - Saltzman: .34

Saltzman - FL5: 3.20

FL5 - WW: .87

WW - Birch: 9

Birch - 53: .23

Total 23.51